Imagine finding a mystical book that offers the gift of everlasting life. Would you look inside?
In The Immortal’s Secret, an Amazon bestseller, art merges with magic to explore the seductive allure of eternal life. Dr. Benjamin Mann, a curator at the Louvre who is recovering from cancer, is thrust into an unexpected adventure when his eccentric grandfather, Josiah Mann, vanishes.
Desperate for clues, Benjamin turns to Josiah’s treasured possession: a portrait called The Immortal, painted by the Renaissance master Andrea Sartore. In a violent rage, Benjamin rips The Immortal from her frame and finds a golden book—a treasure Josiah has been looking for since his youth.
The discovery leads Benjamin on a journey from Paris to Venice to the Sinai Desert, where he meets a host of characters who hold clues about Josiah. As Benjamin delves deeper into The Immortal and the secret embedded in her golden book, his journey becomes a crucible, forcing him to confront his life decisions, vulnerabilities, and regrets.
Edmiston covers a lot of international—and temporal—ground in this suspenseful sophomore novel (after Confessions from the Cubicle) of alchemy, ancient gods, and lost artifacts, where the present collides with the past in a maelstrom of secrets and revelations. When Benjamin meets the enigmatic Cle, a past friend of his grandfather’s whose knowledge of the painting is uncanny, he finds himself whisked away on a cross-continent adventure with her, while learning that there is more to his mysterious companion than meets the eye. The backstory unfolds slowly as Benjamin uncovers the secrets of his grandfather’s past, leading to a cascade of epiphanies that alter everything Benjamin knows about his grandfather—and the world.
Edmiston balances on the knife-edge between tension and wonder throughout, never sacrificing the story’s meticulous historical detail while still delivering enough suspense to keep readers engaged. The perfectly balanced blend of spirituality, romance, and mystery interlaces with lessons on “the boundary between light and darkness… [and] weak souls whose energy can be easily drawn to evil,” making this as profound as it is action-packed. Fans of historical fiction paired with a sliver of fantasy will find much to enjoy in the twists and turns of Benjamin’s quest for the truth.
Takeaway: Historical fiction and fantasy interlace in a timeless quest for truth.
Comparable Titles: Daniel G. Miller’s The Tree of Knowledge, Will Adams’s The Alexander Cipher.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Reviewed by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite
In Alexandra Edmiston's The Immortal's Secret, Benjamin Mann, a curator at the Louvre, was recovering from cancer. Benjamin’s grandfather, Josiah Mann, came to visit him in the hospital until the day Josiah just vanished. Benjamin searched his grandfather’s apartment for clues and tore a painting from its frame. This painting, titled The Immortal, was Josiah’s most valued possession. Inside the portrait, Benjamin discovered a hidden golden book that Josiah had sought since his younger days. This discovery propelled Benjamin into an adventure spanning from Paris to the Sinai Desert. Benjamin learned about Annacletica, an ancient Egyptian woman throughout his journey. Annacletica was burdened with an immortal curse, so she made a deal with the Christian God to free herself from this curse by turning her soul into the golden book. Benjamin uncovered secrets from his grandfather’s history that changed everything he knew about him.
The Immortal's Secret by Alexandra Edmiston was an exhilarating journey filled with mystery, ancient deities, and forgotten artifacts. The pace was fast, and so much unfolded that I struggled to put the book down. I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. The immortal woman's backstory and the Golden Book's origins were captivating. Seeing how the past and present intertwine through long-hidden secrets and revelations was fascinating. The characters felt authentic and had compelling histories. I particularly enjoyed Benjamin's reaction when he discovered there was far more to his grandfather than he had realized. With the captivating plot and engaging writing style, there was never a dull moment. The history and beginnings of the immortal woman kept me engrossed, and I enjoyed reading this story.
