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‘Ariel Sabar tells a fascinating story.’

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Craig Brown, The Mail on Sunday

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‘A dramatic tale of gullibility, deception, ideology and academic politics.’

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Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education

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‘[A] madcap, unforgettable book … [F]or enthusiasts of ancient Christianity … and readers of idea-driven capers, whether by Daniel Silva or Janet Malcolm. It’s a barely believable tale, crazier than a tweed-sniffer in the faculty lounge.’

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Mark Oppenheimer, New York Times Book Review

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‘It’s a story about journalism done right, about Sabar’s own capable, dogged sleuthing to get to the bottom of those famous headlines … Veritas offers a vital lesson less about Christianity than about what happens when a scholar decides that the story is more important than the truth.’

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Lucas Wittmann, Time

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‘Ariel Sabar is an excellent investigative journalist explaining in detail a con that could have changed all of Christianity. Whatever the scam, the con artist and the victim both have an agenda.’

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Frank Abagnale, author of <i>Catch Me If You Can</i>

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‘If turning scraps of ancient papyrus into an enthralling true-crime escapade takes a miracle, consider Ariel Sabar a miracle worker … Veritas, Latin for truth and inscribed on the Harvard seal, is an extraordinary and mind-bending adventure into ancient traditions with modern consequences.’

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Shelf Awareness

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‘This astonishing book — part detective story, part exercise in reporting conducted at its highest level — reaches hold of you by the shirt collar and doesn’t let go … Exciting on every level, it poses the deepest question of faith: does it depend on the scholarly verification of ancient fragments or on what Heaney called a journey ‘into the marvellous’? I was bowled over by it.’

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Caitlin Flanagan, author of <i>Girl Land</i>

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‘Intriguing religious/true-crime story involving a possible wife of Jesus … A lengthy yet fascinating tale of how one scholar was duped, both by a con man and by herself.’

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Kirkus Reviews

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‘Veritas is a fascinating journey into theology and academia, meticulously researched, well-written, consistently engaging.’

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Gregg Easterbrook, author of <i>It’s Better Than It Looks</i>

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‘Sabar has written a true story of mystery and intrigue … [B]lending religious history with a tale of deception … [A] well-researched, engrossing backstory of failed discovery from a noted scholar.’

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Jacqueline Parascandola, Library Journal

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‘A work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … [F]itting neatly into the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction category … Provocative and probing.’ STARRED REVIEW

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Booklist/American Library Association

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‘Mesmerising … [Sabar] has our attention, and slowly, remorselessly, he pays out the rest of his devilish yarn … Savour the denouement — and don't leave at intermission.’

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Alex Beam, Wall Street Journal

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‘Sabar’s meticulous reporting shows how quickly the first victims of a forgery turn into con men themselves, desperately manipulating the evidence to keep plugging holes in a forger’s fragile story. A masterful portrait of desire and a gripping analysis of a scandal that reveals the blurred lines between scholarship, faith, and lies. An unprecedented contribution to the study of forgery.’

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Dr Erin Thompson, art crime professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and author of <i>Posse

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‘Fascinating … Ariel Sabar digs out every detail in his engrossing book … The interaction of these two characters, one with a deep need to deceive and the other with a desperate need to believe, presents a wholly human story of frailty and weakness.’

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Tom Gjelten, NPR

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‘[A]n exhaustive examination of the whole affair in a work of exemplary narrative nonfiction … Provocative and probing, this will entice readers interested in the history of early Christianity.’

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Ilene Cooper, Booklist

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‘A tour de force of investigative journalism … Mr. Sabar’s book is a model on how to investigate any new ‘discoveries’ from ancient texts. It is also a cautionary tale about the acceptance of experts and expertise at face value.’

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Rebecca I. Denova, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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‘Sabar offers plenty of fascinating arcana about scientific and historical methods for testing and analysing such an object, and he also brings to life many of the people involved … Veritas is packed with details and tells a complex story, but Sabar’s prose is clear and inviting, and the book is structured with a well-tuned sense of suspense. It’s a wonderfully absorbing example of truth being stranger than fiction.’

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Colette Bancroft, Tampa Bay Times

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‘A thriller for eggheads.’

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Boston Globe

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‘A testament to the value of investigative journalism … [F]ull of shocking and revelatory moments.’

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Daily Beast

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‘Extraordinary … [A]stonishing … The book is as good as a detective novel, possessing plot, subplots, hidden motives, bees in eccentric bonnets and startling revelations.’

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Katherine A. Powers, Minneapolis Star Tribune

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‘Scintillating … Sabar is a master storyteller.’

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Tablet

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Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘A biography, a memoir, a meticulously reconstructed history of a largely vanished people and place … Transcending mere reportage, it acquires a novel-like warp and weft.’

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Los Angeles Times

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Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘Sabar offers something rare and precious — a tale of hope and continuity that can be passed on for generations.’ STARRED REVIEW

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Publishers Weekly

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Praise for My Father's Paradise:

‘Graceful and resonant.’

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New York Times Sunday Book Review

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Praise for Heart of the City:

‘A beguiling romp.’

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New York Times

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Praise for Heart of the City:

‘Quirky true tales about city landmarks and chance encounters.’

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New York Magazine