God's Spy [Hardcover]

A routine plot doesn't do justice to the intriguing premise of this debut thriller, a bestseller in Spain, about a serial killer stalking the cardinals poised to vote on Pope John Paul II's successor. Young, attractive Paola Dicanti, an inspector in an Italian violent crime unit and an FBI-trained profiler, is summoned to a church in Vatican City where a cardinal's mutilated corpse has been discovered. To her outrage, Dicanti learns that the victim is the second in a series, and that the identity of the killer—a pedophilic priest with a history of violence, Victor Karosky—is known to a new and mysterious ally, Anthony Fowler, a former priest and American intelligence operative. The cat-and-mouse game between the police and Karosky is nothing new, while Gómez-Jurado's use of the sex scandals that have rocked the Roman Catholic church is sensational rather than sensitive. American readers may be amused that Bush administration figure John Negroponte plays the part of shadowy backstage conspirator. (Apr.)
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Italian police inspector and profiler Paola Dicanti is not one to shrink from a challenge. But she's never been up against the likes of Victor Karosky. The American priest is on a mission to murder and mutilate cardinals who have arrived in Vatican City to elect a new pope in the wake of John Paul II's death. Though Karosky's identity is revealed early on, it doesn't lessen the suspense of Spanish writer Gomez-Jurado's riveting debut. He deftly weaves together the perspectives of perpetrator and pursuers alike: cold-blooded Karosky, a sexually abused child who has become a deeply dysfunctional adult; temperamental Inspector Dicanti, forever butting heads with the territorial and often pompous Vatican City police; and enigmatic priest and former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Anthony Fowler, whose knowledge of Karosky proves pivotal to the case. The action unfolds against the backdrop of Vatican City, where countless pilgrims have gathered, wholly unaware of the heinous crimes taking place. Some rough spots in the translation distract from this otherwise first-rate thriller. Thomas Harris meets Dan Brown. Allison Block
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'Spanish writer's Gomez Jurado's riveting debut. Thomas Harris meets Dan Brown' BOOKLIST 'Electrifying action, mystery, compelling protagonists in pursuit of a twisted cold-blooded pyschopath, plus a heart-pounding finale, God's Spy has all the ingredients to become a bestseller and share the bookstore windows with Thomas Harris and Dan Brown.' ABC 'a page turner...but also an amazing expose of nefarious goings on in the Catholic Church, all very topical' NEW BOOKS 'Impressive first novel' GOD'S SPY 'Entertaining stuff' DUBLIN EVE HERALD --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

The novel takes place in the days following the death of Pope John Paul II, when 115 cardinals have to be called to the Vatican in order to take part in the Conclave to elect the new Pope. With Rome under siege to foreign press and thousands of mourners, the last thing it needs is a serial killer on the loose.Paola Dicanti is a profiler who works with the Italian police - she has been put in charge of profiling serial killers in a department of one ie herself. She is untested and her experience of serial killers is, as yet, theoretical. This is until she is called to the church of Santa Maria in the Vatican state. A cardinal has been found murdered, his eyes destroyed, his hands cut off. It seems that this is not the first victim - another cardinal was found in similar circumstances but the authorities didn't want a scandal. Recovering from a bitter affair with her boss, Paola begins to build her profile using information from the scene of the crime, from the autopsy, and from forensic evidence. She is helped in this by Anthony Fowler, a priest from the States. But it turns out that Fowler is no ordinary priest - he clearly has links to the CIA, and knows a lot about the serial killer than Dicanti could ever have guessed. The situation is complicated further when a young female journalist intercepts tapes that were meant to be sent to the press, putting her life in danger.

Juan Gomez Jurado is a journalist who has worked on radio and television. He has also been a director of several large corporations. He has won several prizes for his journalism but this is his first novel. He lives with his wife and daughter in Spain.

With deft timing, Kate Reading captures serial killer Victor Karosky, sexual sadist and pedophilic priest. Her depiction of attractive Paola Dicanti, Italian inspector for the Violent Crimes Unit and FBI-trained profiler, is masterful in its careful pacing and understatement. When Dicanti is summoned to Vatican City after a cardinal's mutilated corpse is found, Reading portrays her anger in tones of outrage. As the story weaves the perspectives of perpetrator and pursuers with fine-tuned precision, Reading makes each character believable. With textured characterizations and energetic vocal manipulation Reading delivers a complex plot, intricate sexual and forensics scenes, and a multiplicity of characters This is one not to miss! G.D.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.