Exciting news for book lovers! The Belgian thriller author Steven Bogaerts, known for the novel linked to Netflix’s ‘13 Commandments’, has selected Malta as the setting for his next literary adventure!

In his novel ‘The Lost Guardian of Malta’, he masterfully crafts a tale that is both a gripping contemporary thriller and a love letter to the island’s rich heritage. The story takes the reader on an immersive journey through the island, blurring the lines between past and present, myth and reality, history and heart-pounding action.

The novel follows a gripping quest for truth, set against a backdrop of some of the island’s most iconic and mysterious locations. From the prehistoric temples of Ġgantija, Mnajdra, and Ħaġar Qim to the depths of the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum and the grandeur of St Paul’s Cathedral, every chapter pulses with the spirit of Malta’s past, yet with scenes that are still present today.

The author’s fascination with the island is unmistakable. ‘I’ve always loved Malta,’ he says. ‘It’s not just the history, though that’s undeniably fascinating. It’s the way the past feels alive here, like it’s always watching, just beneath the surface of modern life. There’s an energy to this island that I haven’t felt anywhere else.’

In fact, according to Steven Bogaerts, it's the island’s duality, where modernity and ancient echoes coexist, that makes it the ideal setting for such a plot. ‘You’ve got this ultra-modern side – clubs in Paceville, international tech hubs – and then, just a few kilometres away, you’re stepping into the past,’ he explains. ‘Mdina’s streets are silent and ancient, the temples are older than the pyramids, and the catacombs whisper stories you’ll never fully understand. It’s a storyteller’s dream.’

Are you ready to uncover Malta’s lost guardian?