What to read next
10 books like The Secret of Secrets
Katherine Solomon's work, Prague's layered spaces, disappearance, manuscript, and pursuit connect questions of mind to a relationship Langdon cannot treat as academic. The picks below take that appeal in different directions.
Read our review of The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown.
Best matches
Three strong places to start
If you only want three picks, start here.
Best overall
Fastest read
Best alternative
Choose by reading mood
Where to start
For the fastest read
The Da Vinci Code
FastFor the darkest read
Sphere
DarkFor minimal romance
The Lost Symbol
MinimalFor the easiest entry
Origin
AccessibleThe full shortlist
Why each book belongs here
See what each pick shares with The Secret of Secrets, and where it goes in a different direction.
1
The Lost Symbol
- Pace
- Brisk
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Why this matches
- Different because
- The Lost Symbol introduces Katherine and the noetic interests, but is more bloated and Washington-centered.
2
Origin
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Why this matches
- Different because
- Origin asks similar world-changing questions through artificial intelligence and Spanish architecture.
3
Inferno
- Pace
- Brisk
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Why this matches
- Different because
- Inferno is darker, faster, and built around a more physically urgent biological threat.
4
The Da Vinci Code
- Pace
- Fast
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
5
Deception Point
- Pace
- Brisk
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
6
Chasm City
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Demanding
7
The Prefect (Aurora Rising)
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
8
Machine Vendetta
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Demanding
9
Sphere
- Pace
- Brisk
- Darkness
- Dark
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
10
Century Rain
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Side-by-side
Pace, darkness, romance, and difficulty
| Book | Pace | Darkness | Romance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Secret of Secrets | Brisk | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| The Lost Symbol | Brisk | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Origin | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Inferno | Brisk | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| The Da Vinci Code | Fast | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Deception Point | Brisk | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Chasm City | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Demanding |
| The Prefect (Aurora Rising) | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Moderate |
| Machine Vendetta | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Demanding |
| Sphere | Brisk | Dark | Minimal | Accessible |
| Century Rain | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Moderate |
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