Enjoyed like other Steve Berry books. Similar historical mystery. Fast paced. I feel like I figured most of it out too quickly and the last part was just confirming what I suspected. I would have liked a few more twists and turns. Ghent alter piece, Cathars, virgin Mary's tomb and more. ( )

Nick Lee, ex-FBI, works as a field investigator for UNESCO, resolving those 'difficult' cultural and artistic issues that arise around the globe(?) He is in Ghent to re-connect with his ex-fiancee, who jilted him at the alter to become a nun(!) He becomes involved in a rather convoluted plot surrounding an alter piece, a secret order of nuns hiding in plain sight, the Cathars and an ambitious and ruthless cardinal. (Whew!)

This is an all-action thriller that tries to have it all, but does not quite pull all its narrative threads together at the end. Apart from the rather ludicrous job the hero holds this is a fine beach or long-haul flight read. ( )

Did not finish. ( )

There are three central themes in the story. The fate and significance of an altarpiece in the Ghent cathedral. The location of the remains of Mary the mother of Jesus. Whether there are any remains from Joan of Arc, and if so where are they. The details of these mysteries range from Ghent to southern France. Mixed into the story is the story of the Cathars, a persecuted Christian sect of the Middle Ages. A new protagonist is introduced:Nick Lee who works as an investigator for the UN and gets involved because his former fiancée who became a nun was the restorer of the Ghent altarpiece. ( )

The Omega Factor (2022) (Nick Lee #1) by Steve Berry. Not one of my favorites of Mr. Berry’s books. It is a good read, exciting and fast paced (in many places) with the usual touches of a daring investigator, a historic mystery, and plenty of details about the history of the various regions visited in the course of the book.
It is just that I wasn’t interest in the history of the southwest of France. Couldn’t care less. And I have read several books about the Templars and the break away religious sects of the area. Reading this felt like revisiting past reads and visiting areas I didn’t find very interesting the first time around.
Ghent, Belgium, is the starting point of the story and it pulled me in. A young nun is doing restoration work on the Ghent Altarpiece, specifically the reproduction of the portion that was stolen in 1934. Now someone breaks into the supposedly empty work area and tries to destroy the replica piece of the massive Altarpiece. While the nun who is working on the item stops in after hours and comes across the intruder, she is in trouble. Fortunately Nick Lee of UNESCO had made a date with his former fiancee, the nun in trouble, and arrives in time to save her but not the panel. There are detailed digital photos of every inch of the panel but the computer they are on has been taken by the intruder.
Thus begins this pell-mell tale that has echoes of the Vatican, a secret society of nuns, terrible priests (some brandish guns (for a change) and aren’t above killing) and retribution against the church. The path leads across France to the Pyrenees and into the history of Mary, the mother of Jesus. But along the way there are so many diversions it dulls my mind trying to keep on the path of the story.
This is a book for history buffs and die-hard fans of Mr. Berry. Also if you like reading about The Inquisition (bet you didn’t expect that because no one ever expects…) this is an added bonus for you. ( )