First Review of PAST LIVES!

 

Pre-Order the Next Pastor Stephen Grant Page-Turner – PAST LIVES: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT SHORT STORY

Pre-order the Kindle edition at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RWLBJ6F

Pre-order signed paperbacks at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/pastlives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big Thumbs-Up Reviews for VATICAN SHADOWS

 Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant is back in another action-packed, character-rich page turner in VATICAN SHADOWS. Grant is a Lutheran pastor who used to be a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative – but never fully left his old life behind. Now, Pope Paul VII calls on Grant to help stop deadly forces inside and outside the Vatican. 

Both Kirkus Reviews and Self-Publishing Review have given VATICAN SHADOWS big thumbs-up reviews…

VATICAN SHADOWS and the rest of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries make for ideal reading in 2021! Get the paperback or Kindle editions of VATICAN SHADOWS at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P1S5R26 or signed books at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/vaticanshadows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRESS CLUB C Podcast with Ray Keating – Episode #36: A Look at Vatican Shadows and Big Reveals on What’s Coming

 

Ray Keating talks about his new book, VATICAN SHADOWS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, including reading a couple of chapters, and offers some big reveals on upcoming novels and, yes, new thriller/mystery series. It’s all very exciting if Keating can get his act together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commemoration of St. Ambrose: An Excerpt from WARRIOR MONK

On the Commemoration of St. Ambrose of Milan (December 6), an excerpt from WARRIOR MONK: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL. A good deal of the story in this thriller takes place at the St. Ambrose Retreat House on Long Island…

Stephen could, well, feel it. He wondered when the last time such unity existed among so many Christian leaders gathered in one place.

And this nearly euphoric feeling continued throughout the pope’s historic press conference. The questions, though politely put, reflected the usual ignorance and bias Grant had come to expect from so much of the media. 

Theocracy? 

Imposing your religious views on others?

Doesn’t the church have enough problems of its own? 

Given the Crusades, Inquisition and pedophilia scandals, why should anyone listen? 

And so on.

But this pope – no, Stephen reflected – this man, flawed and sinful like any of us, answered each question calmly, thoughtfully, and with disarming kindness. And with a mix of principle, faith and humor, Pope Augustine gained a kind of attentiveness among members of the media that few, if any, in public life could have even hoped for, and many politicians would have killed for. Congressman Ted Brees came to Stephen’s mind.

Grant was now following the pope, his aides and security entourage up the staircase in the castle’s main lobby.

Augustine stopped at the statue of St. Ambrose, and gazed at it. As this continued for several seconds, a silence descended in the large chamber. The pope said, “He was interesting, St. Ambrose. During a tumultuous time of disagreement in the latter part of the fourth century, he tried to keep peace among Christians in Milan. And he was not even baptized when clergy and the people called for him to become the bishop. He did not want the job, but finally acquiesced, was baptized, and eight days later became the bishop. He would be one of the great Latin Doctors of the Church. And as we talk about the Church’s role in the public arena now, it is worth recalling that Ambrose previously was a lawyer and politician who came to be a powerful voice in the Church for celibacy and voluntary poverty. If that happened today, few, I think, would doubt the transformative power of faith in our Lord.” The pope smiled, and most everyone else joined in with his infectious laugh.

  

“Vatican Shadows” is the New Riveting Read from Award-Winning Novelist Ray Keating

 Facing Threats and Murder, a Pope Calls on a Lutheran Pastor and Former CIA Operative for Help

 

Long Island, NY – Ray Keating returns with his latest page-turning thriller titled Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel. 

More than 500 years ago, two men – Jan Hus and Martin Luther – tried to bring about change in the Catholic Church. They suffered, with one burned at the stake. Could a modern-day pope transform these reformers from heretics to heroes in the eyes of the Catholic Church? Shadowy figures inside and outside the Vatican oppose Pope Paul VII’s efforts, and stand willing to do anything to stop him. For help, the pope turns to Stephen Grant, a Lutheran pastor, former Navy SEAL and onetime CIA operative. 

 

The action is intense and unrelenting. The characters and relationships are captivating and filled with complexity, commitment and betrayal. The twists and turns are fun. The dialogue is lively. And the story serves up reflections about faith, love, conflict, history, and friendship that are thought-provoking. 

 

Ray Keating said, “First and foremost, I hope readers – whether they be longtime or new Pastor Grant readers – enjoy Vatican Shadows as a page-turning thriller. In addition, I think Vatican Shadows could serve as an ideal book for all kinds of book clubs and discussion groups.”

 

Paperbacks and the Kindle edition of Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel are at Amazon via https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P1S5R26 and signed books are at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/vaticanshadows.  

 

About Keating and his Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, Kirkus Reviews simply says “exhilarating.” Lutheran Book Review says, “I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.” The retired host of KFUO radio’s BookTalk declares, “Ray Keating is a great novelist.” David Keene of The Washington Times calls these novels “great reads.”  And another reviewer observes, “How I'd love to see Pastor Grant on Netflix!”

 

Keating’s previous Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries – The Traitor (2019), Deep Rough (2019), Shifting Sands (2018), Heroes and Villains (2018), Reagan Country (2018), Lionhearts (2017), Wine Into Water (2016), Murderer’s Row (2015), The River (2014), An Advent For Religious Liberty (2012), Root of All Evil? (Second Edition 2020), and Warrior Monk (Second Edition 2019) – have received widespread praise from all kinds of readers. 

 

Review copies, and author interviews and appearances are available upon request. 

 

Contact: Ray Keating

E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PastorStephenGrantNovels

Twitter: @KeatingNovels

PastorStephenGrant.com

RayKeatingOnline.com

Talking James Bond with the Mid-Modcasters

 I was fortunate to be a guest on The Mid-Modcast Podcast with Craig, Paula and Dave to chat about James Bond. This episode was recorded before we lost Sean Connery, and was posted today. I had a swell time being on with the Mid-Modcasters to talk cool spy stuff. Hope you have a terrific time tuning in!

Hey! For Less Than 6 Bucks Enjoy the Weekend with a Great Read!

 Grab the Kindle edition of any or all of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Nice savings over the paperback price. By the way, make sure you’re caught up on all 12 thrillers/mysteries because another Pastor Stephen Grant adventure – VATICAN SHADOWS – will be arriving soon!

Get the Kindle edition of THE TRAITOR for only $5.99 at 

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Get the Kindle edition of WARRIOR MONK for only $5.99 at

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New thumbs-up review of THE TRAITOR from Kirkus Reviews

On THE TRAITOR, Kirkus Reviews says, 

“A clergyman of action tries to capture a former U.S. government agent on the run in this latest installment of a thriller series… Keating, the author of Deep Rough (2019), delivers a relatively brief adventure, but as in the author’s earlier books, it’s a swiftly paced one... Exciting, tightly written action scenes comprise the final act, but there’s humor sprinkled throughout the narrative, as well... Keating’s series is often grim, but this installment seems a bit darker than others, featuring a particularly violent death and a surprisingly bleak moment involving a series regular. A short but kinetic tale featuring a consistently entertaining hero.”

Grab the Kindle or paperback editions at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1709209771

Perfect Reading for Postseason Baseball – Excerpt from MURDERER’S ROW: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL

 

Prologue

 

 

Casey Granger peered at two fingers just over 60 feet and six inches away. Ty Beachamp called for the hook. 

Granger nodded, and offered the faintest of smiles that few would have noticed.

Beachamp shifted his crouch behind home plate slightly to his left, moving away from the left-handed batter.

With his glove just inches from his face, Granger set a curveball grip on the cowhide with his left hand. He pivoted on the rubber while kicking his right leg in the air, and pushed forward off his left leg and let the baseball go.

The 89-mile-per-hour rotating white sphere seemed headed for the batter’s head. In 0.45 seconds, the man in the batter’s box leaned back as his knees buckled, while the pitch broke down and across the plate. It snapped into Beachamp’s mitt, and the umpire called, “Strike three!”

As the batter turned and headed back to the bench shaking his head, Beachamp pointed at Granger approvingly, and then fired the ball down to the third baseman.

As the ball was tossed to the shortstop, the second baseman, and back to third, a rumble erupted from the darkening, late-afternoon July sky.

Granger looked at third baseman Brodie Blue, and said, “Come on, you’ve got to be kidding.”

Blue tossed Granger the ball, and said, “Don’t worry about it, Casey. Stay focused.”

Granger took a deep breath. “Right.”

Brodie smiled broadly and tugged on his cap, which featured the team logo of a king’s crown sitting on a surfboard riding a wave.

But before Granger could return to the mound, another rumble in the sky unleashed a torrent of water in the form of large raindrops falling in unrelenting sheets.

After five-and-one-third innings of pitching perfect baseball, Granger’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly as the home plate umpire took off his mask and waved his arms, indicating a delay in the game and signaling that the grounds crew should roll out the tarp.

Members of the South Shore Surf Kings sprinted off the field. The 1,350 fans remained in place, shielded by a metal roof.

Since the grounds crew consisted of only three people, Surf Kings’ manager Sam “Salty” Waters, coach Johnny Garcia, and two players – Brodie Blue and Jackson Quick – joined the unrolling and unfurling process of the tarp.

While pushing the long tube from foul territory and across the first and second base side of the field, Quick’s feet periodically shifted and turned due to unevenness in the tarp, almost tripping once. He glanced down, but kept on pushing.

Once unrolled, the seven men ran to grab handles on the cover, in order to unfold and pull it across the rest of the infield as the rain actually managed to intensify.

They moved quickly and in unison amidst the large raindrops. None of the men took note of the bumps in the tarp as they pulled.

While the seven forged ahead, the sources of the bumps in the tarp were exposed. 

Eyes focused on the third base line, the men continued tugging.

But then screams and shouts could be heard over the rain pelting the tarp. Jackson Quick and one of the official members of the grounds crew looked back first. They immediately stopped, and dropped the tarp handles as their mouths fell open.

Waters, Blue, Garcia and the other grounds workers then stopped and turned.

The Surf Kings’ manager, followed closely by Quick, stepped onto the tarp and approached the items now uncovered. As he slowly advanced, Waters managed to utter, “What the hell?”

Quick blessed himself, and whispered, “Jesus.”

Blood-crusted parts of a human body – portions of legs and arms, a torso and a head – were strewn across the tarp.

Pastor Stephen Grant had risen from his seat next to the Kings’ bench. As he looked out on what had unfolded, Grant said, “Dear Lord, please, not another one.”