I read this book when I was invested in the election of a new Pope and so wanted my reading t0 be RC focused.

I really liked this book. It was dark, suspenseful and a real page turner. It is an emotion journey on a fight for what is true,.. before someone manages to stop them, and boy do they try. The author also takes you on a physical journey across several countries. It kept me gripped and I loved reading it.

The only negative I really have is the title... keep it as "The Cardinals Sin."

Thank you Netgalley - really loved this one.

I liked this novel, but I do quarrel with whomever decided to title it The Cardinal's Sin: A riveting Vatican thriller. Why put a review in the title> Now it HAS to be a "riveting thriller" which I didn't quite see. Not that much of it takes place in the Vatican either, but I agree that the story starts there. I give author J D Wood credit for bringing Rome and the Vatican to life. His other scenes are well-done too. The story of how an ambitious cardinal makes a deal with China is interesting. It brings the focus to an island in the Caribbean where a religious group has taken control. That is, until the Cardinal lets the Chinese build a so-called hospital there. Deviousness is a big theme in this thriller. It's a good story and worth the read. But, about that title...
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Very entertaining story to continue the series. Lots of action once the story gets going, and lots of places to visit as the adventure takes the reader to several countries to solve the mystery.

Another really good Cal Harrison thriller.
When Sophie is offered an interview on an exclusive tip that threatens the existence of the Cardinals and their role in the Catholic Church in Rome, she is shocked when her informant is murdered and immediately seeks out her friend Cal Harrison to help her get to the bottom of the mystery.
What follows is a complex mystery that unravels in Rome, Portugal and on a hideaway resort/commune in the deep Caribbean.
Great intrigue and strong characters with a story line that moves right along.
Suspense, action and mystery should as the story unravels.
Good read.

The Cardinal's sin is a thrilling quest to find truth, before someone erases all of the witnesses. It was fun reading the story from so many points of view. It is a great summer afternoon read. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

The Cardinal’s Sin starts off a little slow, but once it hits the 15–20% mark, it really picks up and becomes hard to put down. JD Wood delivers a gripping crime thriller that kept me hooked through to the end.

Cal Harrison is easily my favorite character, smart, grounded, and a good presence throughout the story. Even though Sofie occasionally makes frustrating decisions (especially when she ignores Cal’s advice), it felt believable within the context of the genre. Characters making risky choices is pretty standard fare in thrillers, and it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.

I really liked how accessible the book was, even without reading the previous Cal Harrison books. I had no trouble following along, and now I’m actually looking forward to diving into the rest of the series.

The central “dark secret” in the plot was well thought out and added a strong layer of tension. It’s the kind of secret that makes you want to go back and re-read the book to catch everything you missed the first time.

As a long-time fan of crime and thriller stories, I can confidently say this is a top-tier example of the genre. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a suspenseful, well-paced read.

This is a good thriller that leaves you guessing as you work your way through the book. Sofie is an investigative journalist and Cal is a former military guy who is part detective, part operative, part the guy who can figure out how to get out of a jam.
They are investigating a sect of the Catholic religion, and the tie to a private island and connection to China.
While this is part of a series, it is stand-alone in that you do not have to have read the previous books. I did like that at the end it set the way for the next story.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This book was such an easy read. Full of detail and suspense, it was hard to put down all the way to the end. I am definitely interested in reading other books by this author!