Here are 57 books that The Confessor fans have personally recommended if you like The Confessor. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Angels & Demons

Peter Hogenkamp Author Of The Vatican Conspiracy

From my list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

Why do I love Vatican Intrigue? Well, here’s just one example. When the cardinal electors vote for a new pope, they process through a locked Sistine Chapel toward Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment and drop their twice folded paper ballots into a large golden chalice, a process that hasn’t changed for centuries. The faster the world turns and evolves, the more I am drawn to the Vatican’s many ancient traditions and protocols. And, the funny part is, I am not a particularly conservative person; it’s just that I appreciate the Vatican as a huge counterweight to the rapid changes taking place in the rest of the world.

Peter's book list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue

Peter Hogenkamp Why Peter loves this book

If you are one of those people (you know, the sort that read The DaVinci Code but didn’t read any of Dan Brown’s other—much better—books) stop what you are doing and upload Angels & Demons into your Nook or Kindle right now.

Dan Brown has his shortcomings, yes, but nobody does Vatican Intrigue better. Nobody. And his plotting and background research are truly exceptional. Read it.

By Dan Brown ,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Angels & Demons as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

CERN Institute, Switzerland: a world-renowned scientist is found brutally murdered with a mysterious symbol seared onto his chest.

The Vatican, Rome: the College of Cardinals assembles to elect a new pope. Somewhere beneath them, an unstoppable bomb of terrifying power relentlessly counts down to oblivion.

In a breathtaking race against time, Harvard professor Robert Langdon must decipher a labyrinthine trail of ancient symbols if he is to defeat those responsible - the Illuminati, a secret brotherhood presumed extinct for nearly four hundred years, reborn to continue their deadly vendetta against their most hated enemy, the Catholic Church.

Origin, the spellbinding…


If you love The Confessor...

Book cover of Cold Warrior

Cold Warrior by Robert Tucker,

During the 1970s and 80s, the Soviet Union penetrated the corporate economy and financial systems of the United States to engage in industrial espionage.

Cold Warrior is the story of Kasia Kerenski, a street mime who is “discovered” to work as a Hollywood actress. Coerced into becoming a double agent…

Book cover of Conclave

Peter Hogenkamp Author Of The Vatican Conspiracy

From my list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

Why do I love Vatican Intrigue? Well, here’s just one example. When the cardinal electors vote for a new pope, they process through a locked Sistine Chapel toward Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment and drop their twice folded paper ballots into a large golden chalice, a process that hasn’t changed for centuries. The faster the world turns and evolves, the more I am drawn to the Vatican’s many ancient traditions and protocols. And, the funny part is, I am not a particularly conservative person; it’s just that I appreciate the Vatican as a huge counterweight to the rapid changes taking place in the rest of the world.

Peter's book list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue

Peter Hogenkamp Why Peter loves this book

I love Vatican intrigue, and Conclave has it in spades.

The characters, especially the various Cardinals vying to be pope, are the strength of the book. I recommend it highly, even if, as I did, you watched the movie first. And as far as "I didn’t see the end coming" is concerned, Conclave wins that competition hands down.

By Robert Harris ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Conclave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY EDWARD BERGER AND STARRING RALPH FIENNES, STANLEY TUCCI, JOHN LITHGOW, AND ISABELLA ROSSELLINI • The page-turning thriller set in the Vatican's secretive halls of power by the best-selling author of Enigma and Fatherland

"Pulsates with intrigue. . . . Ambition, sex scandals, financial corruption and terrorism all rear their ugly heads. And Harris saves one whopper of a surprise for the final pages." —USA Today

The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast…


Book cover of The Vivaldi Cipher

Peter Hogenkamp Author Of The Vatican Conspiracy

From my list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

Why do I love Vatican Intrigue? Well, here’s just one example. When the cardinal electors vote for a new pope, they process through a locked Sistine Chapel toward Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment and drop their twice folded paper ballots into a large golden chalice, a process that hasn’t changed for centuries. The faster the world turns and evolves, the more I am drawn to the Vatican’s many ancient traditions and protocols. And, the funny part is, I am not a particularly conservative person; it’s just that I appreciate the Vatican as a huge counterweight to the rapid changes taking place in the rest of the world.

Peter's book list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue

Peter Hogenkamp Why Peter loves this book

This book has everything: great characters, interesting history, and a plot that will keep you turning the pages.

But the thing that really impressed me was the details. If you, like me, are big on the little things that give a book true authenticity, you will love The Vivaldi Cipher. And it is just the beginning: with eleven more books in the series, you can get your fill of Vatican intrigue.

By Gary McAvoy ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Vivaldi Cipher as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

During the election of a new Pope in the mid-18th century, famed violinist Antonio Vivaldi learns of a ring of art forgers who are replacing the Vatican's priceless treasures with expertly-painted fakes. Desperate, the composer hides a message in a special melody, hoping someone, someday, will take down the culprits . . .

Nearly three hundred years later, the confession of a dying Mafia Don alerts a Venetian priest to a wealth of forged paintings in the Vatican Museum, and the key to their identities lies hidden in a puzzling piece of music. Father Michael Dominic, prefect of the Secret…


If you love Daniel Silva...

Book cover of The Guardian's Legacy

The Guardian's Legacy by Luciana Cavallaro,

Adventure/Thriller in the spirit of Indiana Jones.

The disappearance of an old man, fanatical neo-Nazis, and the hunt by Interpol, thrust Nikolaos Zosimos, a high school teacher, into a world of intrigue and suspicion. He gets embroiled in an ancient cover up, a dangerous legacy, and the search for the…

Book cover of The Third Secret

Peter Hogenkamp Author Of The Vatican Conspiracy

From my list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

Why do I love Vatican Intrigue? Well, here’s just one example. When the cardinal electors vote for a new pope, they process through a locked Sistine Chapel toward Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment and drop their twice folded paper ballots into a large golden chalice, a process that hasn’t changed for centuries. The faster the world turns and evolves, the more I am drawn to the Vatican’s many ancient traditions and protocols. And, the funny part is, I am not a particularly conservative person; it’s just that I appreciate the Vatican as a huge counterweight to the rapid changes taking place in the rest of the world.

Peter's book list on thrillers with Vatican intrigue

Peter Hogenkamp Why Peter loves this book

I love to learn interesting things when I read. The Third Secret is loaded with Vatican history and lore.

I am also a sucker for ancient prophecies and closely guarded secrets, and man does The Third Secret have these! Combine this with a very relatable main character and a villain you will love to hate, and you have a page turner that will keep you up at night.

By Steve Berry ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Third Secret as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What is the Third Secret?
It is rumoured to be a prediction so shocking that it has been locked away for over eighty years. Could this be what is drawing Pope Clement XV to the Vatican archive, night after sleepless night?
When Father Colin Michener is sent on a secret mission to the highlands of Romania, he is pitched into a vortex of suspicion, deceit, murder and forbidden passion. Suddenly, he is forced to face the very thing that has so distressed the Pope - and to unravel a mystery that will shake the world.


Book cover of A Death in Sweden

Vince Nakovics Author Of Briarwood Manners

From my list on murder location books from a superfan.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have traveled almost my entire life as a US Navy Sailor and civilian, and I still am. The cities, countries, and locations are composites of places I have visited. I have been a Correctional Counselor and a Criminal Investigator in addition to other positions. My extensive travel and background provide me with a unique view of the world that I try to reflect in my stories.

Vince's book list on murder location books from a superfan

Vince Nakovics Why Vince loves this book

Are ex-CIA agents all living in isolation taunted by their deeds? We may never know, they may have to kill us if we do. Dan Hendricks, the main character is torn between justice and protecting agents he knew in the frosty cold of Sweden.

It was a page-turner for me. I enjoy stories set in faraway places where the rules aren’t always the same. Having been to Sweden in winter I am familiar with the sting of the biting breezes. Brrr.

By Kevin Wignall ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Death in Sweden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dan Hendricks is a man in need of a lifeline. A former CIA operative, he is now an agent for hire by foreign powers on the hunt for dangerous fugitives. It's a lethal world at the best of times, and Dan knows his number is almost up. His next job could be his last-and his next job is his biggest yet.

The target sounds trackable enough: Jacques Fillon, who gave up his life trying to save a fellow passenger following a bus crash in northern Sweden. But the man was something of an enigma in this rural community, and his…


Book cover of Gun Monkeys

Eric Beetner Author Of The Last Few Miles of Road: A Carter McCoy Novel

From my list on down the dark road of revenge.

Why am I passionate about this?

Like many readers, I am drawn to stories of vengeance. Stories of someone seeking revenge have a built-in tension and narrative drive. But as the saying goes, when you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. Yes, these tales seldom go smoothly. The consequences of this and the violence that ensues are what I wanted to explore in my latest novel, but several books on my shelf make fascinating stories out of this desire for revenge.

Eric's book list on down the dark road of revenge

Eric Beetner Why Eric loves this book

Charlie Swift takes his criminal life seriously. It’s a job, and he wants to be the best at it. But he can step up and set things straight with the best of them when things go south. Pity the man who gets in his way. Charlie Swift is not someone you betray and get away with it.

This is a new crime classic filled with black humor and thrilling action, in a new edition under the title Fast Charlie (to coincide with the film adaptation). If you can get past the opening page without being hooked, something is wrong with you.

By Victor Gischler ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gun Monkeys as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Charlie Swift is an old school kind of guy. Runs a tight ship. Respects his boss. Takes care of his mom and kid brother. And, he's a stone cold killer. When a fancy new-wave hood, hungry for the primo Orlando territory Charlie enforces, offs most of Charlie's boys in a bloody mob takeover, our man steps in to make things right. But when word gets out that his boss has gone missing and there's a traitor among his crew of gun monkeys, Charlie knows payback ain't gonna be easy. Shot up, boozed up, and beaten up, Charlie finds the toughest…


If you love The Confessor...

Book cover of The Secessionist's Wife

The Secessionist's Wife by Wolf Bahren,

The Secessionist’s Wife is a spy/journalism thriller about a terrorist attack on Ft. Riley. This genre-buster includes features of romance and domestic suspense as well.

For journalist Anna Jones of the New York Daily Journal, nothing is more important than finding the truth. So when Fort Riley, Kansas, suffers a…

Book cover of A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking

Jo Miles Author Of Tea & Treachery at the Infinite Pantry

From my list on delicious fantastical food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love food. From watching my grandma bake pie as a kid, to learning to bake vegan cookies in my college co-op, to checking out a new restaurant—whether it’s old family favorites or a chef’s tasting menu, I’m happiest when I’m eating something delicious and sharing it with others. I incorporate tasty food into my books wherever I can (bonus points if I “have” to try some things as research), and it was inevitable that I’d write a series like The Infinite Pantry where food plays a starring role. I hope this list gives you some mouthwatering new reads!

Jo's book list on delicious fantastical food

Jo Miles Why Jo loves this book

This book is pure fun with a side of delicious pastries.

I love stories about an obscure, seemingly useless magical ability that the main character figures out how to use to save the day. In this case, magically animated baked goods! Of course, there are lots of delicious-sounding cakes and cookies at this magical bakery, which is why I picked it up.

I did not expect baked goods to literally save the kingdom! It’s absolutely zany—but it’s also full of the cleverness and heart that I love most about Kingfisher’s fantasy.

By T. Kingfisher ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of…


Book cover of Spider's Bite

H.D. Smith Author Of Dark Hope

From my list on urban fantasy books with a strong female lead.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories set in contemporary urban environments where magic just happens to be real. This can take many forms, but my preference is a novel with realistic real-world scenarios that have to accommodate a magical world, without making things too easy for those with power. When I write Urban Fantasy (or SciFi) I try to inject logic and consistency into the worlds I create. My day job, working in the software industry and the logic skills needed to master problem solving, add these qualities to my writing.  

H.D.'s book list on urban fantasy books with a strong female lead

H.D. Smith Why H.D. loves this book

Jennifer Estep’s writing talents shine in her Elemental Assassin series. She has filled her world with supernatural creatures and humans with magic who can harness different elemental powers. Gin is an assassin, known as the Spider. She has ice and stone magic. She also runs the best barbecue restaurant in town and Estep’s masterful food descriptions will have your mouth watering for more.

By Jennifer Estep ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Spider's Bite as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Follow Gin Blanco, a kick-butt female assassin who moonlights at a BBQ joint in Tennessee, as she searches for the person who double-crossed her in this heart-pounding and fresh paranormal romance series.

After Gin's family was murdered by a Fire elemental when she was thirteen, she lived on the streets and eventually became an assassin to survive. Now, Gin is assigned to rub out an Ashland businessman, but it turns out to be a trap. After Gin's handler is brutally murdered, she teams up with the sexy detective investigating the case to figure out who double-crossed her and why. Only…


Book cover of Fool's Assassin

L. Darby Gibbs Author Of Dragon-Eyed Rogue

From my list on creating a sense of family with strangers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the product of a man who married more times than I like to admit to strangers and even family. We moved all the time. Those two elements in my life led me to run out the door immediately upon release from sorting my belongings from their thoroughly packed boxes. I made friends at once with everyone I came across. Who knew how long we’d live there? Over the years, I acquired deep friendships from around the U.S. and often daydreamed of them all being in the same place at once and loving the solidarity. It never happened, but it's a theme that runs through me. It’s what I like to write about.

L.'s book list on creating a sense of family with strangers

L. Darby Gibbs Why L. loves this book

I stumbled upon this book. Thank goodness for that stumble.

So many outcasts trying to survive in a world not only rarely giving them notice, but when it does, it is in an active effort to destroy the poor devils.

As they find each other, and in some cases, redefine each other, they build new friendships and rebuild old ones, all in an effort to become who each was meant to be and do so as a family built from the challenges bent on destroying loyalty and love.

It is as much an adventure against the world as a journey to the self.

By Robin Hobb ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Fool's Assassin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Fantasy as it ought to be written' George R.R. Martin

Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown.

But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more...

On a shelf in his den sits a triptych carved…


If you love Daniel Silva...

Book cover of Citizen Orlov

Citizen Orlov by Jonathan Payne,

Not every fishmonger can be a secret agent.

Journey to an unnamed mountainous country in central Europe at the end of the Great War. Enter Citizen Orlov, a simple fishmonger and an honest, upright citizen, who answers a phone call meant for a secret agent and stumbles into a hidden…

Book cover of The Winter of Frankie Machine

Anthony Schneider Author Of Lowdown

From my list on character-driven gangsters.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up on a diet of The Godfather, The Sopranos, thrillers, and gangster novels, and living in New York City with eye-opening trips to Sicily, I became slightly obsessed with the Mafia. I came to see the American Mafia as a quintessentially American fabric, woven of family, power, immigrants, money, history, loyalty, legacy, and, yes, crime.  

Anthony's book list on character-driven gangsters

Anthony Schneider Why Anthony loves this book

Retired hitman Frankie Machianno thinks he’s left the past behind and can focus on the things that matter—wife, mistress, daughter, surfing, perfect kitchen, roasting coffee, cooking.

But someone is coming for him and wants him dead. The problem is: Frankie doesn’t know who. As he tries to figure it out, we learn about Frank, his family, his lover, and his past, from San Diego beach bum to mafia “button man.”

He’s my favorite kind of gangster—the good guy bad guy—and I couldn’t help but like Frank and fear for his life, as the novel hurtles toward its bittersweet conclusion.



By Don Winslow ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Winter of Frankie Machine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Frank Machianno is the guy, a late-middle-aged ex-surf bum who runs a bait shack on the San Diego waterfront. That's when he's not juggling any of his other three part-time jobs or trying to get a quick set in on his long board. He's a beloved fixture of the community, a stand-up businessman, a devoted father to his daughter. Frank's also a hit man. Well, a retired hit man.

Back in the day, when he was one of the most feared members of the West Coast mob, he was known as Frankie Machine. Years ago, Frank consigned his mob ties…


Book cover of Angels & Demons
Book cover of Conclave
Book cover of The Vivaldi Cipher

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,366

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in assassin, popes, and French travel?

Assassin 86 books
Popes 15 books
French Travel 42 books