The Secret Mantra (A Matt Lester Spiritual Thriller)

This was an interesting continuation of the storyline that was introduced in The Magician of Lhasa. I enjoyed that book very much. I think this one? Less so. One of the reasons is that it is told in first person, which is OK by itself. The problem was that one of the mysteries revealed at the end was created by the narrator who just didn’t bother to let us in on the secret. It seems inconsistent for the narrator to keep secrets from the reader about his own activities when you are supposed to be inside his mind looking out.

I'm not sure there's enough in the Matt Lester series of books to appeal to readers pointedly uninterested in Buddhism, but for those that are, it's a fun read. Amidst the harrowing exploits of an English physics researcher turned Buddhist, David Michie weaves in entry-level Buddhist philosophy in an entertaining way. The Secret Mantra is the second release in the Matt Lester series, and better than the first. There are few books out there combining these themes and it's not poorly written, though the action and intrigue can strain credulity. Think The DaVinci Code meets The Dalai Llama. Brief and fun, give it a read if you have a strong ability to suspend your disbelief.