The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Book 6 of the Robert Langdon Series) - Book Review

This book is a thriller! 

Other genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Crime

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Psychological Torture, Bomb Threats, Corruption. 

"The right book at the right time can save your life."

Robert Langdon, academia's most eligible bachelor, has finally settled down. He and Katherine Solomon, a celebrated academic in her own right, are in Prague, where Katherine is giving a lecture about her latest developments in Noetic science. 

Prague is old and steeped in history, folklore and ancient mysteries. The exact backdrop in which Robert Langdon thrives. But little does Robert and Katherine know that this simple trip to Prague will turn into a battle for their lives and freedom. 

A cryptic dream wakes Katherine Solomon during the night. She is panting and frightened as she relays to Robert all the details of the nightmare she has just woken up from. Just as the weight of the dream disappears, strange occurrences begin to happen. 

After his morning swim, Robert is walking back to their hotel building when he sees her. A haunting figure walking the bridge, dressed in a crown and carrying a spear. Almost an exact replica of Katherine's dream. The scene wouldn't be odd at all against the Prague backdrop, except it is the early morning, and the woman seems to be in a trance. 

As the dream Katherine told him about replays in his head, Robert races to the hotel - he needs to get to Katherine, he needs to evacuate the hotel! But Katherine is not there, and once the dust settles, Robert has a lot of questions to answer. Where is Katherine? Is she safe? Is all this a coincidence? 

The Review

Katherine Solomon, you may recognise the name from The Lost Symbol. She is Peter Solomon's sister and the main female character. In passing it is stated that she is a noetic scientist and that she is working on experiments, but this book really explores her work. Robert has set her up with his publicist, and Katherine is writing a book. In her book, she plans on revealing a new conclusion that she has come to in noetics. But someone doesn't want that book to see the light of day.  

As things go down in Prague, Jonas Faukman, Robert's book editor, is having a night of his own. Working late in his New York office, Jonas is alerted to a security breach. The only thing the hackers were after and got was Katherine's manuscript for her new book. To say that Jonas is on edge is an understatement. This should not be able to happen on their secure servers. Who would want to steal a noetic science book! Thankfully, he has made a few hard copies, so he can edit them by hand. Little does he know that these people will stop at nothing, including abducting him off the street, to get their hands on every last copy. 

SPOILER ALERT

These Robert Langdon books are starting to get a little played out. As you can probably imagine, if someone dies, Robert needs to play hero; he is in trouble with the law, but at the end of the day, he saves the girl, his name is cleared, and they live happily ever after. In this case, Katherine is missing. She was supposed to meet Brigita Vesna. She is the woman who invited Katherine to Prague in the first place. Vesna has this new state-of-the-art lab, and she is excited to show Katherine the work she has been doing there. 

Slight problem. Vesna is found dead, the lab is broken into, and Katherine is nowhere to be found. This, of course, piques the interest of local police, especially since Katherine Solomon's companion, Robert Landon, has just pulled a fire alarm at their hotel, caused a mass evacuation and has jumped out of his hotel window into the waiting river below. 

It all seems like a lot of drama for nothing. We eventually do find Katherine; she has hidden herself in a little nook that Robert taught her about while they were touring a museum. They meet up, eventually, and then have to make a daring escape, which seemingly includes burning Katherine's manuscript in order to get out of their sticky situation and not get detained by the police. 

That seems like an underlying theme of most Robert Langdon books. Sticky situation, no way out, and then Robert Langdon finds a way. I do have to admit, the plot twist at the end, where Sasha is the Golem. I did not see that coming. It makes total sense, but still, it is a bit of a mind-blowing revelation. 

I originally read the physical book. 

Rating and Recommendation

It hurts my heart to give Dan Brown such a low rating. But unfortunately, this latest book just wasn't as good as his earlier work. The strengths of earlier Robert Langdon books are that they were filled with symbology, codes, cyphers and riddles. It was kind of like a game you could play along with and try to solve with Robert. Now there are fewer little things like that and more, just Robert Langdon knows these obscure facts and details. 

The story was perfectly enjoyable, and it was a cool little twist. But I don't think it is what most people come to expect from Dan Brown. My excitement for the latest book may have also led to my disappointment.  

I preordered this book months in advance. All I had to hear was Dan Brown and new book, and I was there. I don't regret it, but I definitely feel like it wouldn't have been life-changing to wait for it to come on sale.   

Conclusion

If you are a Dan Brown fan, you will pick up this book. It isn't bad. It is an enjoyable enough read. But I think most fans will be slightly disappointed. I know I am. And even now, I am having a hard time putting my finger on why. I love that Robert and Katherine have gotten together. I love that he is finally with someone steady and that she is a strong lead for his strong personality. But something just didn't feel classic Dan Brown to me. I think most fans of Dan Brown, or at least the Robert Langdon series, will be glad they got the book. (Even more glad if they get it at a discount.)

** If you like Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon, and you haven't already, check out The Lost Symbol, the first time we are introduced to Katherine and her family. You can find my review for that book here.  

You can find The Secret of Secrets in its respective mediums below: 

Like The Lost Symbol, The Secret of Secrets is being adapted into a TV series for Netflix. The expected release date is September 9th, 2026. 

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Book #3 of the Robert Langdon Series) - Book Review

This book is a thriller! 

Other genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Crime

Trigger Warning: Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Psychological and Physical Torture, Occult/Ritualistic Practices. 

"We all fear what we do not understand"

Harvard professor Robert Langdon was enjoying a quiet evening when he was summoned to deliver a speech at the U.S. Capitol Building on short notice. As a favour to his mentor and friend, Peter Solomon - philanthropist and prominent mason - Robert jets off to the nation's capital. 

However, within moments of his arrival at the Capitol Building, Robert realises something is wrong. In the middle of the Capitol's Rotunda sits a recreation of the Hand of Mysteries. A severed hand, tattooed with symbols, sitting there, pointing to the sky. It is a clear message sent to Robert Langdon. 

Robert finds himself in the centre of an ancient Masonic secret as he tries desperately to solve the clues left behind to save his kidnapped friend Peter Solomon before it's too late. 

The Review

This is a fast-paced, puzzle-driven thriller that feels a little more personal than Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. In this one, he is dragged, not for his expertise but because of his connection to Peter Solomon. He is targeted for what he knows and what he possesses. 

One of the things I like about this book is that it really plays on Robert's specialities. It makes sense that he is called. Not only is he Peter's friend, but he is also a professor of Symbology and Religious Studies; this is right up his alley. He is probably one of the few people who could solve the mystery. 

That's really the draw, I think of Robert Langdon and the stories, in my opinion. He isn't some Joe Shmoe; he has the knowledge to solve the problem. It's not random. There's a reason for him to be there (unfortunately, some of the later books don't have that feel). It's not typically a "right place, right time" kinda of trope. Usually, he is the only person in the situation, which can be a hard line to walk. But in this case, it makes sense, and it feels deeper.  

SPOILER ALERT

The first time I read The Lost Symbol, I don't remember putting the pieces together that Mal'akh was Peter's son, Zach. I actually thought his cellmate in prison realised he was worth a lot of money, and he killed Zach for it. I assumed that once he ran out of (Zach's) money, he went after the family because he knew they had more. I think I also believed that Zach wouldn't kill his grandmother (or try to kill his aunt), even though he was mad at his father. It was also a little hard to believe that Peter didn't recognise his own son, in my mind. So I never connected the dots until it was spelt out at the end.

I originally read the physical book. As a review for this blog, I also listened to this book through my local library (via Libby). 

The audiobook of The Lost Symbol was narrated by Paul Michael. I personally loved Paul Michael's style. He did different voices for all the characters, and it was really easy to follow the story, even though the novel itself jumps around a lot from different characters and points of view. I think he did an amazing job, and I think anyone who is familiar with the books would really find a familiarity with his tone and the atmosphere he provides.  

Rating and Recommendation

This is one of my favourite Dan Brown books. It is actually tied, for me, with The Da Vinci Code. (Which I love for different reasons. They are so different it is hard to compare.) I read it the minute I could get my hands on it. I loved it. This book is the only thing I have ever demanded back in a break-up! Typically, I chalk up anything left at an ex's as lost. But I could not leave my book behind. 

If you like any type of thriller or adventure story and you can stomach some intense themes, you will love this book.

I own a hardcover copy of ALL of Dan Brown's books, including this one. I am actually (desperately) seeking the illustrated version of the book for a (somewhat) reasonable price.  

Conclusion

If you are a Dan Brown fan, or just a fan of thrillers and adventures. I definitely recommend this book. While it is part of the Robert Langdon Series, you do not have to read the books in order. The stories don't really overlap (though some offhand comments do refer to other novels). If you enjoy conspiracy theories or just American History (keeping in mind this is pure fiction), I think anyone could enjoy this book. The tour of D.C. is fascinating. And if you are in the D.C. area, Dan Brown has a travel guide to all his books on his website. 

** If you like Robert Langdon and Katherine Solomon, you can see a continuation of their story in Dan Brown's new book, The Secret of Secrets. 

You can find The Lost Symbol in its respective mediums below: 

I was anxiously awaiting the movie. I was so excited to see Tom Hanks play this out. I had gotten attached to Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. And I was so upset that they decided to make Inferno first. But still, I would be patient. And then I was devastated when they decided to make it into a series. But! Once I saw the series, I was pleasantly surprised. And I really think they did the book justice. 

* Book cover image retrieved from the author's website. All rights belong to the author and/or publisher. 
* All the "stickers" in this blog were provided by Bookish (presented by NetGalley). 
* Links in this blog may be generated through the Amazon Associates Program. By using this link, I may make a small profit (at no cost to you) from your purchase.