Peter J. Daly

A murder mystery and thriller set in Rome and involving the leaders of the Catholic Church.

Something is seriously wrong in the top echelons of the Catholic Church. When the Archbishop of New York is shot dead while performing a funeral, he becomes the 6th Cardinal to die in suspicious circumstances. Are these deaths connected and, if so, who is responsible?

The Vatican asks for help with an outside investigation, and Nate Condon, a young New York attorney, is recommended by Cardinal Michael O'Toole, the head of the Vatican's missionary office. Nate dutifully travels to Rome to begin asking questions and sussing out the situation. What he finds is a hornet's nest of lies, corruption, organized crime, and murder.

This was excellent — and a totally unexpected read that was slipped into my TBR by a good friend. Not just for Catholics, but for anyone who is interested in the inner workings of the men who hold the most powerful positions in the Catholic Church. Although the plot is fiction, the descriptions and details of the lifestyles of those who run the business of the church are vivid and accurate. The dire situation currently confronting the Catholics has led to declining membership and loss of faith by many previous faithful. This would make a great novel for a book club as there are many aspects worthy of debate and discussion.

I recommend it.… (más)