True Raiders: The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant

Written by Brad Ricca

Narrated by Stephanie Willis

"Who knew that RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was based on real events? This audiobook, expertly performed by Stephanie Willis, is a must for anyone who enjoyed the Harrison Ford movie and wants to know what really happened in 1908, when a British expedition searched for the Ark of the Covenant, alleged to have "mystical" powers." –AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award Review

True Raiders is The Lost City of Z meets The Da Vinci Code, from critically acclaimed author Brad Ricca.

This audiobook tells the untold true story of Monty Parker, a British rogue nobleman who, after being dared to do so by Ava Astor, the so-called “most beautiful woman in the world,” headed a secret 1909 expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. Like a real-life version of Raiders of the Lost Ark, this incredible story of adventure and mystery has almost been completely forgotten today.

In 1908, Monty is approached by a strange Finnish scholar named Valter Juvelius who claims to have discovered a secret code in the Bible that reveals the location of the Ark. Monty assembles a ragtag group of blueblood adventurers, a renowned psychic, and a Franciscan father, to engage in a secret excavation just outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

Using recently uncovered records from the original expedition and several newly translated sources, True Raiders is the first retelling of this group’s adventures– in the space between fact and faith, science and romance.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Sep 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781250821454

Brad Ricca

BRAD RICCA earned his Ph.D. in English from Case Western Reserve University where he currently teaches. The author of Super Boys, he has spoken on comics at various schools and museums, and he has been interviewed about comics topics by The New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, and All Things Considered on NPR. His film Last Son won a 2010 Silver Ace Award at the Las Vegas International Film Festival. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Reviews for True Raiders

[Rebecca Hill · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Are you ready for an adventure that you will not soon forget!? Then, you need to sign up for "True Raiders." This journey will leave you wanting more - and seeing new breath being brought back to the men who set out for one unforgettable excursion.

Brad Ricca goes through impeccable research to bring the story of the Expedition to find the Ark of the Covenant, at a time when there was a fever pitch for artifacts - although the process at the time didn't really preserve history - rather it would destroy and hope for treasure at the end.

The adventure that this expedition undertook was one for the search for the Ark of the Covenant - something that had been lost since the Israelites were taken into captivity by the Assyrians.

I found this book easy to follow, and very interesting. You are going to be captivated from the first chapter. If you decide to listen to this via audiobook (I listened to parts of this on audio - while I was working) the chapters are short, which makes it easy to set a timer and not get lost or forget your location in the book.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this book, as this is one that I would like to add to my collection. If you love history, then this is one that you are going to want to read, and jump into a journey that you are not going to soon forget.