The Death of a Pope »

The Death of a Pope by the highly acclaimed British writer Read is a novel of intrigue, church espionage, and an attempt to destroy the longest continuous government in the world-the Papacy.

A priest who seems to be the model of compassion for the poor is accused of terrorist activities. His worldwide charitable outreach is suspected of being a front for radicals. A young woman, a reporter and a lapsed Catholic, tries to undercover the truth but in the process she finds herself attracted to the priest and falls in love with him.

Meanwhile, forces conspire within the Vatican and the College of Cardinals to overthrow the Papacy. The death of Pope John Paul II brings the conclave that will elect Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI-only a group of radicals will resort to anything, including blowing up the Vatican, to stop it.

A powerful tale combining vivid characters, high drama, love, betrayal, faith, and redemption, The Death of a Pope races toward an unexpected and unforgettable conclusion.

Publishers Weekly

Centered on the final days of Pope John Paul II, Read's uneven thriller will appeal mainly to those interested in Catholic theology. British journalist Kate Ramsey, who's covering the Old Bailey trial of three men accused by MI6 of plotting a sarin attack, is drawn to one of the defendants, Juan Uriarte, who testifies that he was seeking the poison gas to use as a deterrent against warlords in the Sudan, where he works for the Catholic Refugee Service. After the trial ends in acquittal, Ramsey gets herself assigned to cover Uriarte's relief work in Africa. Rather implausibly, Ramsey agrees to Uriarte's request that she transport on a plane flight a thermos that he claims contains a Nag Hammadi scroll. Meanwhile, British intelligence believes a megaterror event is in the works, and as John Paul II nears death, villains scheme to rig the succession. Read remains best known for Alive(1974), his nonfiction account of Andes air crash survivors who resort to cannibalism. (May)

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