Gary McAvoy

ALLi Author Member

Location: United States of America (the)

Genres: Thriller, General Nonfiction, Crime, Mystery, Historical Fiction

Skills: Speaking Engagement/Lecture, Reading/Literary Event, Press/Media Interview

Gary McAvoy is a veteran technology executive, entrepreneur, and lifelong writer. For several years he was also a literary media escort in Seattle, during which time he worked with hundreds of authors promoting their books—most notably Dr. Jane Goodall, with whom Gary later collaborated on “Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating” (Hachette, 2005).

Gary is also a professional collector of rare literary manuscripts and historical letters and books, a passion that sparked the intriguing discoveries leading up to his 2019 book, “And Every Word Is True” (Literati Editions, March 2019), a revealing look at startling new disclosures about the investigation surrounding the 1959 Clutter family murders, heinous crimes chillingly portrayed in Truman Capote's “In Cold Blood.” “And Every Word Is True” pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to Capote’s classic tale, adding new perspectives to an iconic American crime.

His debut novel, "The Magdalene Deception," is an international thriller set in the Vatican.

Gary McAvoy's books

And Every Word is True

Truman Capote’s bestselling book “In Cold Blood” has captivated worldwide audiences for over fifty years. It is a gripping story about the consequences of a trivial robbery gone terribly wrong in a remote village of western Kansas.

But what if robbery was not the motive at all, but something more sinister? And why would the Kansas Bureau of Investigation press the Attorney General to launch a ruthless four-year legal battle to prevent fresh details of the State’s most famous crime from being made public, so many years after the case had been solved?

Based on stunning new details discovered in the personal journals and archives of former KBI Director Harold Nye—and corroborated by letters written by Richard Hickock, one of the killers on Death Row—“And Every Word Is True” meticulously lays out a vivid and startling new view of the investigation, one that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they pick up where Capote left off. Even readers new to the story will find themselves drawn into a spellbinding forensic investigation that reads like a thriller, adding new perspectives to the classic tale of an iconic American crime.

Sixty years after news of the 1959 Clutter murders took the world stage, “And Every Word Is True” pulls back the curtain for a suspenseful encore to the true story of “In Cold Blood.”

Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating

The renowned scientist who fundamentally changed the way we view primates and our relationship with the animal kingdom now turns her attention to an incredibly important and deeply personal issue-taking a stand for a more sustainable world. In this provocative and encouraging book, Jane Goodall sounds a clarion call to Western society, urging us to take a hard look at the food we produce and consume-and showing us how easy it is to create positive change.Offering her hopeful, but stirring vision, Goodall argues convincingly that each individual can make a difference. She offers simple strategies each of us can employ to foster a sustainable society. Brilliant, empowering, and irrepressibly optimistic, HARVEST FOR HOPE is one of the most crucial works of our age. If we follow Goodall's sound advice, we just might save ourselves before it's too late. (Co-authored with Gary McAvoy and Gail Hudson.)

The Magdalene Deception

For two thousand years, believers have relied on Christ’s Resurrection as the bedrock of Christian faith. But what if the Vatican had been blackmailed into suppressing a first-century manuscript revealing the Resurrection to be a myth—and that long-hidden document suddenly reappears?
 
Michael Dominic, a young Jesuit priest expert in the study of ancient writings, is assigned to the Vatican as an archivist in the Church’s legendary Secret Archives. Hana Sinclair, a reporter for a Paris newspaper whose privileged family owns a prominent Swiss bank, is chasing a story about Jewish gold stolen by the Nazis during World War II—millions of dollars in bullion that ended up in the vaults of the Vatican Bank.
 
When Dominic discovers a long-hidden papyrus written by Mary Magdalene—one that threatens the very foundations of Christianity—he and Hana, aided by brave Swiss Guards, try to prevent sinister forces from obtaining the manuscript, among them the feared Ustasha underground fascist movement, Interpol, and shadowy figures at the highest levels of the Vatican itself.
 
Based on illuminating historical facts—including the intriguing true story of Bérenger Saunière, the mysterious abbé in the French village of Rennes-le-Château; and the Cathars, fabled keepers of the Holy Grail—“The Magdalene Deception” will take readers on a gripping journey through one of the world’s most secretive institutions and the sensitive, often explosive manuscripts found in its vaults.

The Magdalene Reliquary

A curious priest uncovers a mystifying secret... One that leads to a long-buried relic some will do anything to possess. Can he outwit adversaries who will stop at nothing to keep him from revealing an object that challenges history as we know it?

Father Michael Dominic discovers a strangely constructed 13th-century puzzle hidden deep within the Vatican Secret Archives. With the help of his brilliant colleague, investigative journalist Hana Sinclair, solving the puzzle exposes a cleverly concealed map that marks the hiding place of a sacred artifact—one with shocking implications.

From Rome to France and Switzerland, his search for the object finds Dominic pitted against deadly agents and a ruthless Russian oligarch. Desperate, he must choose between trusting an unlikely collection of possible allies—or certain death. As his enemies close in, can he survive and bring this staggering new secret to light, or will his pursuers bury it beside him in the cold, dark earth of a long-forgotten cave?

The Magdalene Veil

An old World War II diary filled with cryptic clues launches two friends on an adventure around the world… but their path is fraught with danger and deception… and the treasure they seek can change everything for good—or evil.

Father Michael Dominic and his journalist friend Hana Sinclair are off to follow a tantalizing lead: a Nazi journal revealing a holy relic’s hiding place. The pair believes the book could lead them to a sacred cloth Christ used to cleanse his face, which according to legend now bears his image — a living record of the Son of God’s true appearance.

The diary propels them on a whirlwind adventure from Jerusalem, to Rome, to Buenos Aires. But as they unravel an ancient mystery, they run afoul of a nefarious sect determined to use the Magdalene veil for its own ends. Can Michael and Hana outsmart their ruthless adversaries and bring the artifact home to the Church, or will the revival of Aryan ambition destroy the long-lost relic of Christ?

If you love fast-paced novels grounded in history, grab this non-stop action-packed thriller! McAvoy’s fans say his “attention to detail makes the story utterly believable, leaving the reader wondering what is real and what is fiction.”

The Vivaldi Cipher

During the election of a new Pope in the mid-18th century, famed violinist Antonio Vivaldi learns of a ring of art forgers who are replacing the Vatican’s priceless treasures with expertly-painted fakes. Desperate, the composer hides a message in a special melody, hoping someone, someday, will take down the culprits . . .

Nearly three hundred years later, the confession of a dying Mafia Don alerts a Venetian priest to a wealth of forged paintings in the Vatican Museum, and the key to their identities lies hidden in a puzzling piece of music. Father Michael Dominic, prefect of the Secret Archives, investigates, and is mystified when he finds a cipher in an old composition from Vivaldi. Desperate to stop this centuries-long conspiracy, he calls on fellow sleuth Hana Sinclair and Dr. Livia Gallo, a music cryptologist, to help him crack the code and learn the truth.

But the Camorra, a centuries-old Italian Mafia clan, won’t stand by while some interfering priest ruins their most lucrative operation. Along with a French commando and two valiant Swiss Guards, Dominic explores the dark canals and grand palazzos of Venice to uncover the evidence he needs to stop the sinister plot. Can he unearth it in time, or will the Church’s most valuable artworks fall prey to this massive conspiracy?

If you love James Rollins, Steve Berry, and Lee Child, you may lose sleep over this impossible to put down thriller! Packed with historical events and non-stop action, readers will be burning through pages late into the night. McAvoy’s fans say his “attention to detail makes the story utterly believable, leaving the reader wondering what is real and what is fiction.”

The Opus Dictum

In 1982, Italian financier Roberto Calvi, known as “God’s Banker,” was discovered hanging under London’s Blackfriars Bridge. What wasn’t found was the briefcase he was known to have had with him the night before, reportedly stuffed with incriminating documents, a special key, and a computer disk filled with codes, which together unlock a piece of the Vatican’s troubled past.

When the briefcase mysteriously reappears in the Vatican Secret Archives, Father Michael Dominic and his team—Hana, Marco, Karl, Lukas, the feisty young nun Sister Teri, and Dominic’s new assistant, Ian—are up against two powerful and enigmatic organizations, Opus Deus and the ultra-secret, outlawed Masonic Lodge P2, who savagely fight for control of the briefcase and its contents. Their goal? To carry out one of the most dangerous conspiracies the Church has ever faced—all happening during an unexpected conclave to elect a new pope.

From Rome, Italy, to Geneva, Switzerland, join Dominic and friends as they fend off plotters, kidnappers, and blackmailers who have threaded their way into Vatican politics for decades, in a conspiracy known as The Opus Dictum.

The Petrus Prophecy

Father Jonah Barlow is dead. The respected Jesuit scholar of apocalyptic studies might have died from a fall in his apartment . . . or was he pushed? All that is known for sure is that the provocative manuscript he was working on—a book that promised to reveal the upcoming fulfillment of ancient and recent prophecies, including the ghastly and shocking Third Secret of Fatima—is missing.

Two female detectives—one from Chicago, the other from Rome—take on the investigation as a possible homicide, turning to Vatican archivist Father Michael Dominic for his help, since Barlow sent the young priest the only other copy of the manuscript.

Meanwhile, a sinister ancient order known as the Knights of the Apocalypse seem to be using the predictions of the manuscript to create fear and chaos as the prophecies appear to be coming fulfilled. Is the end of the world imminent?

From Chicago to Jerusalem to Scotland, from Rome to the ancient island nation of Malta, join Father Dominic, journalist Hana Sinclair, their trusted team of Swiss Guards, a French commando, and the two detectives as they solve the bewildering puzzles of the Petrus Prophecy.

The Avignon Affair

A 700-year-old body is found in a hidden crypt buried beneath the burnt embers of Notre-Dame Cathedral during reconstruction after its disastrous fire. Presumed to be that of a bishop from the fourteenth century, two parchment scrolls had been secretly sewn into the man’s garments—documents that could spell a royal upheaval for modern-day France.
 
While the country is in great political turmoil—with rival factions laying claim not only to the presidency, but to the republic’s royal heritage—the French government calls on the Vatican’s own Father Michael Dominic to extract and learn what secrets the parchments may hold.

But when they lead him to the tomb of Pope Clement V, the priest discovers yet another set of shocking documents with hints of a vast treasure the pope had buried before he died in 1314. When a prominent figure seizes the seat of government by force, it’s now up to Michael, Hana, and Marco—along with their trusted Swiss Guards—to act.

The Jerusalem Scrolls

Two young Israeli boys discover an ancient red clay jar in a hidden cave tucked away in the Judean Desert near Qumran. Inside the jar are several scrolls written by the Essenes two thousand years earlier, before the Great Jewish Revolt, including one legendary scroll engraved on silver that speaks of what may be the great Lost Treasures of Solomon buried around Jerusalem—consistent with the predictions of the fabled Copper Scroll discovered in 1947 near the Dead Sea. But one of the overlooked parchments turns out to be far more pivotal to Christianity than anything ever before discovered—a startling manuscript written by St. Paul himself that could rewrite religious history.

Father Michael Dominic and his friends are called to Jerusalem to inspect the silver scroll, but others are trying to get to the precious manuscripts first—members of a little known sect called the Mithraists, the chief rival to Christianity up to the fourth century…a wealthy Texas televangelist…an Egyptian antiquities broker…Israeli Mossad agents…and a cast of rogues each out for themselves.

Follow the adventures of Father Dominic and his loyal team from Rome to the Holy Land—through the colorful bazaars of Cairo to the ancient holy sites of Jerusalem and Jordan—in this engaging, historical international thriller.

The Galileo Gambit

Father Michael Dominic, prefect of the Vatican Secret Archive in Rome, is entrusted with the mission of transporting the original 17th-century trial documents of Galileo to Loyola Law School in Chicago. The stage is set for a modern historical moot courtroom trial of Galileo’s original heresy charges, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the legendary event.

In this riveting reenactment, Galileo’s fate lies in the hands of the Vatican’s current chief prosecutor—a cunning bishop from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and his defense, a distinguished law professor harboring a mysterious past. All the while, the Pope’s deteriorating health has the Roman Curia on edge, as ambitious contenders jockey for position in the anticipated papal election.

But the plot thickens when priceless historical exhibits vanish the night before the trial. With no time to lose, Father Michael’s team is forced to divide and conquer, pursuing every lead to recover the stolen treasures. As they face perilous twists and turns, they must also contend with shadowy plots from rival factions.

The stakes are high as Father Michael and his team race against time to uncover the truth behind this pulse-pounding mystery. With hidden agendas emerging from the shadows and help materializing from the most unexpected sources, loyalties are put to the ultimate test. Hold onto your seats and prepare for a tense ride as Father Michael courageously battles to unravel the enigmatic conspiracy known as The Galileo Gambit.

The Confessions of Pope Joan

In the heart of the English countryside, a discovery is made that threatens to overturn centuries of Church history. When Father Michael Dominic uncovers a cryptic diary leading to a lost 1st century Gospel, he is thrust into a labyrinth of deceit, murder, and controversy. Alongside Hana Sinclair, a savvy journalist, Michael sets out to unravel a mystery buried deep within the Church's past. The Confessions of Pope Joan is a gripping tale of courage and faith, charting their quest against a powerful adversary seeking to keep the truth hidden.
 
Their journey reveals the existence of Pope Joan, the first and only female Pope whose reign has been obscured by time and conspiracy. As they traverse the intricate tapestry of deceit and power, they must confront a society unwilling to relinquish its patriarchal hold. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Grace Dempsey, assigned to a seemingly unrelated murder case in England, stumbles upon a thread that binds her to the historic revelation. Their paths converge, creating a thrilling narrative that intertwines past and present, fact and fiction.
 
As the Vatican's secrets unfold, Pope Ignatius, Michael's ailing father, battles his own legacy. Torn between preserving the Church's past and shaping its future, his decisions become paramount in the struggle for truth. The Pope’s radical stand for change, embodied in two Apostolic Constitutions, sets the stage for a new era in the Church while challenging long-standing beliefs and traditions.
 
The Confessions of Pope Joan is an intriguing blend of historical revelation, suspenseful mystery, and human resilience. It delves deep into the heart of the Catholic Church, unearthing secrets hidden for centuries. Through engaging characters, intertwined plotlines, and poignant insights, this novel offers readers an engrossing journey through a world where the past bleeds into the present, reshaping the future. With every turn of the page, The Confessions of Pope Joan forces readers to question the known and grapple with the unimagined, making it a must-read for fans of historical thrillers.

The Celestial Guardian

Dive into the heart of Vatican intrigue with “The Celestial Guardian,” an adrenaline-pumping thriller that masterfully intertwines the shadowy corridors of religious power with the luminous frontiers of scientific discovery. This captivating narrative follows Father Michael Dominic, the esteemed Prefect of the Vatican’s Secret Archives, as he uncovers a remarkable artifact lost to time—Leonardo da Vinci’s most ingenious invention, the Celestial Guardian. Initially heralded as a divine instrument capable of forecasting a catastrophic asteroid bound for Earth, Father Dominic's discovery soon unravels a more ominous reality: the Guardian’s ability to not just predict, but alter celestial events.

As the revelation of its true potential threatens to shake the foundations of faith and science, the narrative propels readers into a high-stakes race against time. Father Dominic finds himself ensnared in a dangerous web of ambition and power, with factions including a power-hungry Vatican cardinal, vying for control of the Guardian’s world-altering abilities. Set against the backdrop of a Church grappling with transformative doctrines and the scrutiny of the world, Father Dominic must navigate his own inner turmoil while thwarting a global catastrophe.

“The Celestial Guardian” is a riveting exploration of the delicate balance between belief and science, power and morality. It’s a story that delves deep into the heart of human vulnerability, ambition, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. With a narrative rich in historical enigma, scientific wonder, and human drama, this novel promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats, questioning where the boundary between miraculous and scientific truly lies. Prepare for a journey that spans the secretive vaults of the Vatican to the cutting edge of astronomy, all woven into a suspense-filled saga that guarantees to captivate from the first page to the last.

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