The Secret of Secrets: A Novel

Written by Dan Brown

Narrated by Paul Michael

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The world’s most celebrated thriller writer and author of The Da Vinci Code returns with his most stunning novel yet—a propulsive, twisty, thought-provoking masterpiece that will entertain readers as only Dan Brown can do.

Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon—a prominent noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology. As the plot expands into London and New York, Langdon desperately searches for Katherine . . . and for answers. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, he uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 9, 2025
• ISBN: 9798217168835

Dan Brown

Dan Brown is the author of eight #1 bestselling novels, including The Da Vinci Code, which has become one of the bestselling novels of all time. His Robert Langdon thrillers—including The Lost Symbol, Angels & Demons, Inferno, Origin, and his most recent, The Secret of Secrets—have captivated readers worldwide and continue to be the subject of intellectual debate among readers and scholars. Brown’s novels are published in 56 languages around the world with over 250 million copies in print. Brown was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine, whose editors credited him with “keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewed interest in Leonardo da Vinci and early Christian history; spiking tourism to Paris and Rome; a growing membership in secret societies; the ire of Cardinals in Rome; eight books denying the claims of the novel and seven guides to read along with it; a flood of historical thrillers; and a major motion picture franchise.” The son of a mathematics teacher and a church organist, Brown was raised on a prep school campus where he developed a fascination with the paradoxical interplay between science and religion. These themes eventually formed the backdrop for his books. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he later returned to teach English before focusing his attention full time to writing. He lives in New England. Visit his website at DanBrown.com.

Reviews for The Secret of Secrets

[thinkerbelle00 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Pedantic! This book would be so much better abridged. The story is good the concept is ok. But ffs it felt like a college lecture

[Smita · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

If an author worth his salt in 2025 still wants to do something so old and repeated (not giving spoilers) as a plot twist it needed to have an ingenious plot. This is disappointing. Mr. Dan Brown needs to assume his audience to be intelligent, well read and not born post 2000. Over explaining was getting on my nerves. We got it 3 chapters before you explained like we were kindergarteners Sir. Please pick a fresh subject and better name. There is a whole series called The Secret on connected contiousness and manifestation. Yikes!!!!

[Mike Downing · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As always a good adventure but sections like “the devils bible” description seem to go on and on. Even at 1.5 speed I had to fast forward. Too many spots like these that happen in Langdons mind

[starkravingmad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The idea behind the plot is very interesting, but the book is much too drawn out, long. The sheer amount of action in 24 hours is over-the-top.

[waldhaus1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The epilogue explains the title. A lot happens in this book - some of it requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. The hinge point of the plot is the question of where is consciousness centered. The author is suggesting that consciousness is somehow extracted from the universe by the brain getting tuned into the universe. Perhaps the author is referring to what some would call the soul. At best it is a philosophical debate.
Another pivotal plot point is people who have dual or multiple personalities : more than one identity living in the same body - sometimes unaware of each other. This used to be how people thought of schizophrenia, but as I understand it schizophrenia is more a shattering of the personality.
Mostly the story takes place in Prague. Somehow the US ambassador has an enormous amount of influence or power. The reader gradually gets to know the characters and the principal Langdon (from Davinci code fame) remains the axis of the story. While credulity is stretched thin the narrative does pull the reader in.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book, although to be honest, a month later, I can't remember much about it. The action and plot got to be a little unbelievable at times, although I did enjoy how so much tied into the culture and history of Prague. The idea of what was being done in the name of science was very disturbing and alarming since it seems like it could actually happen one day. I have read all of Brown's books; this one was my least favorite.

[thiscatsabroad · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Omigod, just awful - even by Dan Brown standards.

[kevinjoseph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For fans of brainy thrillers, there’s a lot to like about Dan Brown’s new Robert Langdon novel, The Secret of Secrets. However, Brown ignores the saying that less is more. At nearly 700 pages, including extensive information dumping, some readers might be put off by the details about Prague’s sites and the noetic sciences, as well as by the sheer length of this novel. As usual, Brown picks an intriguing topic, this time exploring the nature of human consciousness, as the foundation for his exciting plot. Though in my view, he overuses cliffhangers and exclamation points to boost suspense and tension. Set mainly in Prague and featuring a diverse cast of interesting characters, including a mysterious clay-faced golem, the story itself captured and maintained my interest. I appreciated the clever plot twists and the dark conspiracy that drives the story. If you’re interested in fringe subjects like remote viewing and out-of-body experiences of those near death, and if you’re curious about the possibility of a unified theory of consciousness that might explain such phenomena, this thriller is worth the ample time you’ll need to invest.

[thewanderingjew_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Secret of Secrets: A Novel-Dan Brown, author; Paul Michael, narrator
Before you begin, suspend disbelief, but let belief re-emerge, whenever necessary. Underlying this story is a government program called Threshold. A group of scientists and agents of the American government, under the aegis of the CIA, answerable to a very few, have been actively engaged in secret experiments for years. They have planted a device inside the brains of uninformed subjects, who happen to be suffering from epilepsy, hoping to control their seizures, and in that way, they hope to learn more about the mind and how to control it. That skill will eventually lead to superiority in the area of mind control, which will one day ensure our national security dominance. It is a science that is being studied and is rapidly being developed by many governments. This group does not want Dr. Katherine Solomon’s book on the science of thought to see the light of day. She has written about the idea that the mind can exist outside the body, that it is a separate entity that can act on its own, connect with other minds and even inanimate objects.
Katherine Solomon, is a Noetic Scientist. She has been asked to present a speech in Prague on the science of thought. The woman who asked her is Dr. Brigita Gessner. Katherine needs an escort, so she asks her long-time friend Robert Langdon to attend her lecture. While in Prague, they suddenly discover that after so many years of friendship, they have found romance and love with each other. On the morning after Katherine’s presentation, however, their brief romantic sojourn ends when chaos erupts.
The novel leads the reader in multiple directions, sometimes on confusing wild goose chases with the different characters and sometimes directly into unexpected moments that seem suspiciously like something out of the realm of the supernatural. The heavy-handed ÚZSI, the Foreign Intelligence service for the Czech Republic, the American Embassy staff, the secret government agency and its employees, and a Golem, a creature of Jewish lore, all seem to be involved in the mystery of why Katherine and Robert are accused of heinous crimes. Why has her manuscript been destroyed? What was in the book that seemed threatening or dangerous to anyone? Was it the Czech government or the American government at the bottom of the deceptions? Was it someone else altogether? Someone or some organization was obviously hell-bent on keeping their efforts secret to prevent any effort that might expose information revealing their organization or their goals. Was Robert being framed? Was Katherine secretly involved in some conspiracy? Even her editor was involved when his server was wiped out, her book disappeared from his computer, and then he was brutally kidnapped.
The novel exposes government corruption and secret organizations conducting clandestine experiments on unknowing victims. It illustrates how our memories and stored information guide us in different directions, but it doesn’t tell us where our mind actually resides, and that is the question scientists want answered. There is a woman suffering from “DID” Dissociative Identity Disorder, a clandestine organization with a secret lab, there are corrupt Czech police, scientists involved in the discussion of Neuroscience, the study of the nervous system vs Noetic science, the study of consciousness and even a Golem, involved in the turmoil that follows. Brown leads the reader in multiple directions, sometimes on confusing wild goose chases with the different characters. Katherine and Robert are simply at a loss to explain or understand why her manuscript has been destroyed and their lives are in danger. Soon, even Heide Nagel, the Ambassador at the American Embassy in Prague is accused of treason.
Although there are times when the story simply leaves the realm of the real world and seems to enter the world of fantasy, just today I read about people who receive organ transplants and gain access to the minds of their donors, without realizing it is even happening. Did the donor’s thoughts reside in the organ donated? How does one account for the person who wakes up from a coma speaking a language he has never been taught? Who can explain intuition or ESP? We are simply woefully unaware when it comes to the science of the mind. Is it moral to continue the secret experiments or should they be stopped?
The book is close to 700 pages and could have stood a bit of editing. There are unnecessary explanations and love scenes that seemed extraneous. Why was there a shout out to Starbucks? Still, Brown writes page-turning novels, even when they seem to enter the stratosphere. This is no exception. Are we actually in a mind control race with other countries which we must dominate? Is it possible for different minds to connect with each or for the mind to control matter? Will the virtual world, in the end, be controlled by our minds or the minds of the machine we create?
A major overall theme in this book is the quote near the end. Do you agree or disagree with Henry Kissinger who said, “A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security”?

[drapple_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This Dan Brown book focuses on the brain and consciousness. I miss the historical aspects that usually feature in his Langdon books.

[farrhon · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Internationally famous action hero librarian Robert Langdon is at it again! Bedding beauties, taking down bad guys like the CIA (single-handedly), he doesn't break a sweat even when confronting cold-blooded clay-caked killers and proving the irrefutable existence of life after death. And all before breakfast. Did he mention he was incredibly good-looking too? Never goes to the bathroom not does he have extraneous nostril hair. What a guy!

[nadia.masood · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dan Brown is back with another wild story. What if consciousness doesn’t die with us, and the CIA figured out how to use it? Cue Robert Langdon sprinting through Prague’s gothic streets, dodging assassins, and decoding symbols!

What I Loved

⚡ Unputdownable pace: Total classic Brown style! Bite-sized chapters, cliffhanger after cliffhanger. Goodbye sleep hahaha ?
⚡ Prague setting: Gothic spires, astronomical clocks, creepy underground labs… I was literally Googling everything Prague-related!
⚡ The Big Idea: Consciousness as a radio frequency (or was it a Wi-Fi signal)? The afterlife as data? Wild but addictive.
⚡ Langdon + Katherine: Finally! Katherine is sharp, compassionate, and gives the story actual heart.
⚡ Sasha and the Golem. Also Jonas Faukman and Ambassador Heide Nagel.

The Vibe:

Think The Da Vinci Code’s puzzle-solving + Origin’s science-meets-faith questions + Deception Point’s government paranoia. Add a Golem assassin and a secret CIA lab, and fiction feels a little too real!

Final Verdict:

It’s fast, fun, occasionally ridiculous, but also surprisingly profound. This might be Langdon’s last adventure, and I think it’s a fitting sendoff.