 The Daily Telegraph noted that the book investigates, "One of the world's most mysterious religious sects, little is known of the origins, intentions and beliefs of the Brethren, seen as increasingly powerful in Australian politics." Writing in The Sunday Age, Lucy Sussex described the book as "one of the most sober and well-argued exposes I have ever read." Shelley McInnis reviewed the book for The Age, and commented, "Michael Bachelard is brave to investigate the Exclusive Brethren sect". McInnis elaborated, "The Exclusive Brethren is a conservative Christian sect with a scrappy, pit-bull attitude towards the outside world, and Michael Bachelard is courageous for investigating it. The award-winning Sunday Age journalist has received a number of legal threats from the sect since he began reporting on it for The Age". McInnis described the author's work as that of "a scrupulous reporter".
