The Lost Book of the Grail
Published by: Penguin PaperbackRelease Date: February 27, 2018
Pages: 320
ISBN13: 978-0399562532
Buy the Book: Bookmarks (Signed Copies), Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound
Overview
In an English cathedral city, passionate bibliophile and Holy Grail enthusiast Arthur Prescott works to uncover a long-lost secret about the cathedral’s past—and its connections to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table . . .
Arthur Prescott is happiest when surrounded by the ancient books and manuscripts of the Barchester Cathedral Library. He finds little satisfaction in his job teaching English in the concrete buildings of the University of Barchester, where life seems like a never-ending committee meeting. But in the cathedral library, he contentedly nurtures his secret fascination with the Holy Grail and researches his perennially unfinished guidebook to the medieval cathedral.
When a beautiful young American named Bethany Davis arrives in Barchester charged with digitizing the library’s manuscripts, Arthur’s tranquility is broken. Concerned by the threat technology poses to the library he loves, Arthur sets himself in opposition to Bethany, only to find in her a kindred spirit with a similar love for knowledge and books—and a fellow Grail enthusiast. Bethany soon joins Arthur in a quest to find the lost Book of Ewolda, an ancient manuscript telling the story of the cathedral’s founder that was last seen being carried away by a mysterious figure during one of Barchester Cathedral’s most dangerous nights.
As Arthur and Bethany peel back layers of history, the reader is privy to important moments in the story of the Book of Ewolda and its associated treasures—from the earliest days of the English saints to the Norman invasion, the Reformation, the English Civil War, and on to the Victorian era and the bombings of World War II. And when the future of the cathedral itself is threatened, Arthur and Bethany’s search takes on grave importance, leading the pair to discover secrets about the great church, about the Grail, and about themselves that neither expected.
Praise & Reviews
“Thoroughly enjoyable.”
—Publishers Weekly
“[Lovett’s] best work yet… The Lost Book of the Grail is truly a page-turner for bibliophiles.”
—Fine Books and Collections Magazine
“A distinct Masterpiece Theater flavor.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“There’s a Dan Brown/The Da Vinci Code vibe to this history mystery.”
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“Charlie Lovett’s diverting The Lost Book of the Grail is a mystery, a history, a pleasure—and a treasure. Find yourself within its pages, and you find yourself remembering the virtues of books and book-making.”
—Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked and After Alice
“A vivid, engaging tale that takes the reader along on a delightful search through the ancient libraries of a crumbling cathedral in search of a precious book hidden away for hundreds of years. Settle back and enjoy: this is both a love story and a detective story filled with wonderful historic detail.”
—Kate Alcott, New York Times bestselling author of The Dressmaker
“The Lost Book of the Grail is a book lover’s book. Ambitious in scope, the cheerful bounce of Lovett’s prose skillfully guides the reader through history’s twists.”
—Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation