The Last Pope : a novel (M)
by David Osborn
“Novel takes the reader deep inside the inner world of the Vatican and the American branch of the Holy See to dramatize the great moral issues that are eviscerating the church. The story begins with the passing of Gregory XVIII, a humble and beloved pope. The Lords of the Church meet in the secret recesses of the Basilica to elect a successor. At that point, forces of reaction and humanity are joined in mortal combat. Father Ignatius Heriot, an American cardinal and a man of decency and caring, struggles with his own inner demons as he faces the possibility of being elected pope. Torn inside, everything changes when he fulfills a promise to the dying pope to meet Father John Zacharias, a charismatic priest who has begun to attract hundreds of thousands of followers, as he preaches for the reforms the church has so bitterly rejected” – Publisher
The Last Pope (M)
by Luís Miguel Rocha
translated from Spanish by Dolores M. Koch
“Almost thirty years after the world was stunned by the shocking death of Pope John Paul I, journalist Sarah Monteiro finds an envelope stuffed in her mailbox. The contents hold the key to uncovering the truth about that mysterious death. Drawn into a vortex in which deadly mercenaries, crooked politicians, and princes of the Church itself have formed an alliance of deception, Sarah must decide between revealing the truth and saving her own soul.” – Publisher
Pope Joan : a novel (M)
by Donna Woolfolk Cross
“For a thousand years her existence has been denied. She is the legend that will not die – Pope Joan, the ninth-century woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to become the only female ever to sit on the throne of St. Peter. Now in this riveting novel, Donna Woolfolk Cross paints a sweeping portrait of an unforgettable heroine who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept” – Publisher
White Smoke : a novel about the next Papal Conclave (M)
by Andrew M. Greeley
“The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have gathered in Rome for the papal election following the death of the incumbent pope. Torn by internal conflict and with many of its members alienated, the Church faces one of the most serious crises in its history. A coalition of cardinals favors a more moderate and pluralistic style of papal governance, but must contend with shadowy Vatican forces that oppose change and loss of their own power. These forces are determined to destory the coalition’s candidate, a gentle and brilliant Spanish scholar. The leader of the coalition is Chicago’s wily Sean Cardinal Cronin, aided by his patently indispensable sidekick, Bishop John Blackwood “Blackie” Ryan.” – Publisher
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