The Lisbon Protocol

About this book

In an alternative 1962 where the Spanish Armada's 1588 victory forged an enduring Iberian Catholic Empire, Dr. Reginald Ashford, a 69-year-old retired Oxford professor of moral philosophy, receives an envelope containing a single Latin phrase. This cryptic message pulls him back into his memories of six months prior, when he visited the opulent, rigid capital of Lisbon as a neutral academic observer for the Imperial Synod. The narrative unfolds through Reginald's third-person limited perspective, alongside interludes from key secondary figures, chronicling his transition from a fish-out-of-water to an active seeker of truth. When Cardinal Eduardo Vargas collapses under suspicious circumstances during the closing rite, the official ruling of a heart attack fails to satisfy Reginald's honed deductive reasoning. Aided by Sister Teresa, a sharp-minded 64-year-old administrator of the imperial archives, Reginald uncovers inconsistencies—a clouded crystal chalice, a missing page, an unnatural silence from the choir. As they delve into the archives, they uncover whispers of a hidden 16th-century covenant known as The Lisbon Protocol. Together, they must navigate the labyrinth of imperial protocol, escalating moral dilemmas, and the watchful eyes of the empire to discern whether exposing the truth serves justice or simply unravels the fabric of their world. The story follows a circular timeline, returning ultimately to Reginald's Oxford desk and the fateful envelope.

Book details

Genres:

Mystery, Alternative History, Historical Fiction

Language:

en

Published:

2026-06-19

Content rating:

PG