Basilica

Rating:
Summary: Exciting and enthralling ecclesiastic thriller
Review:

The new millennium dawned without Armageddon arriving though a new Pope from Latin America sits in the Vatican. Pope Tredi has some radical ideas that will shake up the faithful, but he plans to implement. When a priest is pushed off the BASILICA, Pope Tredi turns to his close friend and troubleshooter, former Miami cop Brother Paul Lorenzo, to investigate.

Paul soon traces the murder to a conspiracy that is intended to destroy Tredi's reforms. However, before Paul can identify the ring leader, other individuals close to His Holiness are murdered. The evidence points back to their days together in Miami when they opposed a major drug cartel. If Paul does not uncover the enemy soon, Pope Tredi may find himself a historical footnote for one of the shortest papacy's on record.

BASILICA is fantastic ecclesiastic thriller that is going to be recognized as one of the year's best novels. The story line is superb and the wonderful characters feel genuine, but it is the insiders look into the Vatican that is truly awesome. On a sadder note, author William D. Montalbano will posthumously receive accolades from an adoring public as he passed away before he could obtain the well-deserved credit that will be coming his way. His death leaves a void in this sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Murder in the Vatican
Review: And Brother Paul, ex-Miami cop is called upon to ferret out the murderer. It helps that the Pope is Brother Paul's best friend but as the case winds on and more church figures close to the Pope are killed, the trial leads further into Brother Paul's past. A past that saw the theft of Colombian drug money and the death of Brother Paul's family. But then Brother Paul discovers that the murder list not only includes him but the Pope himself.

Well written. A different venue for murder but the motivations are as old as the Catholic Church itself. Montalbano gives the reader excellent insights into papal politics. The characters are well drawn and fleshed out. A good thriller, a good plot, a clever ending. What more could you want?

Rating:
Summary: A Good Stroy Placed in an Interesting Setting
Review: The most interesting aspect of this book is the setting. It's uncommon to find a mystery-esque novel that has most of the action taking place in Vatican City and where most of the characters are priests or brothers. In this respect "Bascilica" reminds me a bit of "The Name of the Rose", although aside from the clerical theme, the similarity really ends there.

This book introduces readers to the world of the modern church. I was a little worried when I started reading that the author would either overwhelm us with church doctrine or would cast the story in a continuous "old world meets new world" light. Happily I found that neither of these concerns were warranted. Enough religious information is provided to enrich, but not overshadow, the plot, and the anachronisms are tastefully and subtly added.

The story itself is quite good, although the ending leaves a bit to be desired. I will say the most difficult thing to accept about the story is the idea that the main character is a brother (given his various vices and in spite of past) and that his friend in the Pope. I enjoyed the way the Pope was portrayed - it was especially interesting to think of the Pope having a pet - I just had a hard time accepting the fact that he was the Pope. All in all, however, the plot was good and the story was fast paced. The way in which the Chruch and the Latino-underworld were enmeshed was well done.