The Holy Bullet »

The international bestseller from the author of The Last Pope

After the suspicious death of Pope John Paul I, British journalist Sarah Monteiro is drawn into the web of an international conspiracy, and must reluctantly reunite with the mysterious priest/assassin Rafael, and the sinister mastermind known only as JC. But Sarah and Rafael's determination could prove to be their downfall-and seal the doom of John Paul II. Especially if they discover the true power behind the papal throne.

Publishers Weekly

Ponderous prose weighs down Rocha's sequel to 2008's The Last Pope, which centered on a conspiracy to murder Pope John Paul I. This follow-up treads similar ground, but a plausible premise-that the truth behind the 1981 attempt on the life of John Paul II was never revealed-is undercut by a muddled story line and such winks to the reader as naming a British agent Simon Templar (the hero of a popular 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore) and one character telling another that the previous book (i.e., The Last Pope) is available "for sale in the bookstores." Long-winded descriptive passages, like the opening set at an expensive restaurant in an unnamed city, dampen the tension in a novel alleging dark doings at the heart of the Vatican. Still, those with a limitless appetite for stories about evildoing involving the Catholic Church may be satisfied. (Aug.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.