Selected Unverified Endorsements
"A triumph of Yorkshire blasphemy."
— The Gentleman’s Gazebo"De Gernon writes with the frantic energy of a man whose crop rotation has gone deeply, deeply wrong. Essential reading for anyone who owns more than three counties."
— The Peerage & Paddock Quarterly"Reading this book felt exactly like being locked in a damp, fortified shed with a madman and a bottle of vintage ginger ale. We loved every second."
— The Country Life & Low Treason Review"Absolutely magnificent. I was very kindly gifted an advance copy to peruse by the author. Brilliantly takes the humble 8 pints deep pub conversation and keeps you locked in for several days with talk of cobblestones glinting like freshly buttered otters - and contains the immortal phrase ‘this was the coconut that clopped away what little sanity remained’. But I’ve said too much. Very well written and like no other book you’ll read this millennium. Thoroughly enjoyed it."
— Dave on Goodreads.com"Bonkers but brilliant!"
— Leah from Driffield“A Yorkshire Gospel is a real treat. It has a great sense of fun and never takes itself too seriously, and I enjoyed it all the way through. The tone is light and playful, but there's still plenty of heart underneath.
The central characters are the book's greatest strength. They're strong, interesting and distinctive, and I was glad to spend time in their company. They carry the story with plenty of personality, and I cared about where they ended up.
The Yorkshire setting adds a lot of charm, and the "Search for a Spare Messiah" premise gives the story a lively, original hook. It's an irreverent but good-natured take on big questions. This is only the "First Verse" which suggests there's more to come, and I'm looking forward to it.
This is one for adult readers who like their stories witty, warm and a little mischievous. Highly recommended.”
— Tomo from Huddersfield
"I don’t get it."
— Sarah from East Yorkshire
Search for a Spare Messiah
The debut absurdist satire novella from
C. R. de Gernon
Verified Endorsement
Review of A Yorkshire Gospel
Posted: 04 Aug 2026
by Ams Strong
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Yorkshire Gospel" by C. R. de Gernon.]
5 out of 5 stars
It’s difficult to decide what to make of this book as you read it. On the one hand, it reads like a superb comedy that you should indulge in with lightheartedness. On the other hand, it has a fictional plot, characters, and thrilling adventures, which suggest you should read it thoughtfully. A Yorkshire Gospel: Search for a Spare Messiah by C. R. de Gernon is an original and funny fictional tale about two men, later three, and a dog on a quest to reveal or discover the unknown second son or daughter of God. Only in Yorkshire, a town packed with some of the most eccentric folks, monuments, and practices, could such a quest have been conceived. And it all started with a note on a torn beer mat that read, “The grail is safe, Helen." What followed was a religiously motivated treasure hunt for the second messiah.
The author's narrative style was slightly difficult to follow at first, but as you get used to it, you start to delight in the author’s puns and articulateness. This wittiness is what makes this book so entertaining and is the primary reason why I would recommend it to anyone. Another memorable aspect of this book is its bizarre characters and unique fictional world. This book is full of lunatics that will leave a lasting impression on you, whether it’s the men searching for deeper religious meaning in a sheep’s baa or a beat-up car’s noises, the hay farmer with a cult-like worshipping of hay, or shisha-smoking monks. While I wasn’t much fond of the book’s plot because it lacked maturity, it had decent thrilling moments, was well-paced, and had a few plot twists.
This review wouldn’t be complete without a word about the parallelism that exists between it and the Bible; this might be the aspect that makes this book polarising or niche. This book references famous characters and events from the Bible in ways that might lead some readers to consider it blasphemous. Examples of biblical references include Jesus, descending doves bearing divine messages, the Messiah, the Three Wise Men, and much more. However, I appreciate that the author issued multiple warnings to this effect at the start of the book.
In conclusion, I rate this book five out of five stars for the following reasons. I enjoyed the author’s articulateness and punning throughout the book; this book is a successful piece of comedy. Additionally, the book's fictional world and odd characters were memorable and entertaining. Plus, this book was flawlessly edited, making reading smooth and enjoyable. There is nothing negative I have to say about this book. The plot wasn’t as mature as I wished, but the book’s lightheartedness more than made up for its shortcomings. This book contains multiple instances of non-borderline profanity but no sexual content. If you are a religiously neutral reader or don’t mind getting offended by this book’s biblical analogies, then this book will be a great fit for you.