The Last Pope

When my wife gave me this book to read and said it was as exciting as Dan Brown's thrillers, I was doubtful. Dan Brown demonstrated imagination in dealing with semi-historical plots, stretching credibility but telling a good story. Could Luis Miguel Rocha do as well? In my judgment the comparison is valid. The Last Pope is a very fast paced mystery, with rapidly changing scenes and multiple characters. Prepare yourself for a thrilling suspenseful ride, filled with dangerous enemies lurking in shadows and a heroine facing danger without being able to recognize her enemy. Beginning the novel we are introduced to Albino Luciani, a healthy sixty six year old man who, against his wishes, was elected Pope. Thirty three days later, as John Paul I, he was dead. Within twenty four hours, Albino Luciani's body was embalmed and his apartment throughly cleaned. Could this Pope have been assassinated? Although this novel is not a historical, The Last Pope is an exciting novel. Using a few actual events, the story suggests that the Pope was killed to cover-up financial and possible mafia activities inside the Vatican. Twenty eight years after the death of John Paul I "evidence" was sent to a journalist who suddenly finds herself running to avoid professional secret agents resolved to destroy the information and to do anything to silence anyone with knowledge of Vatican activities before and since John Paul's papacy. The death of the Pope occurs near the beginning of the novel, which keeps the reader in suspense during most of the book. Was the Pope actually killed? Who could avoid security and perform the murder undetected? Why accept the assumption that a healthy man died of a massive coronary without warning? What could be a motive? Since I was able to suspence credulity, I enjoyed The Last Pope. Many of the characters in the church were based upon actual people. Most of the characters involved in the sinister plot were also based upon actual people. The plot is reasonable and the action entertaining. I highly recommend this book to those who love a good thrilling mystery.

I found this author's knowledge of the workings of the Vatican absolutely riveting. I also thought his tying together of ALL the many threads was masterful. You definitely spend some time in this novel wondering what is going on and how this could possibly all come together. But it does. You also spend a lot of time wondering how much of this is real and how much fiction. I gather much of it has a real life historical basis. It's both believable and unbelievable! Big thumbs up if you want a fast, page-turning, fascinating read.

La novela retoma en forma de ficcion las circunstancias tras la muerte del Papa Albino Luciani, alias Juan Pablo I. No es la primera en hacer semejante planteo, por antecederle en unas decadas la obra del frances Peyrefitte-La sotana roja, algo mas aspera en su tratamiento de los involucrados. Tambien esta la obra periodistica del sr. Yallop-En nombre de Dios, que tambien critica duramente a la corrupcion bancario-financiera y a los siniestros sujetos ahi involucrados directa o indirectamente. Hace pensar en una conjura para sacarse de encima a un papa peligroso para sus negocios montados y su manejo del poder por una camarilla de jerarcas catolicorromanos y mafiosos de las altas finanzas, con encubrimiento posterior de su crimen. El rapidisimo embalsamamiento y la falta de una autopsia hace sospechar de un caso de envenenamiento, posiblemente con digital, en vez de asfixiar al papa con una almohada, unico detalle del libro del que discrepo. Muy recomendable para la gente con respeto a la verdad, por dolorosa que resulte ser.

In 1978 with the death of the Pope, the College of Cardinals meets in the Vatican to elect his successor. The Cardinals are divided into two extreme camps between traditionalist Cardinal Agosto Mancini and change agent Cardinal Ignatius Heriot. Thus an unacceptable comprise Cardinal Don Albino Luciani is chosen to sit as John Paul I on the papal throne. He makes clear his intention is to clean up and out the House of God everywhere; a little over a month later, he dies with rumors he was murdered for his ethical cleansing campaign especially to end church-mob ties. A second College of Cardinals session elects Karol Józef Wojtya of Poland as Pope John Paul II. Three decades later London journalist Sarah Monteiro receives a letter that insists Pope John Paul I was murdered and the attempts to kill his successor were from the same conspiratorial group who also killed Sweden's Prime Minister Olof Palme. However, Sarah assumes this is a hoax worth checking into, but soon believes the accusations are true when several attempts to assassinate her occur. Due to the grace of God she lives, but fears her days are numbered in single digits. Conspiracy fans will relish the constant power struggle within the highest levels of the Catholic Church. Luis Miguel Rocha builds his exciting story line upon the underlying premise that Pope John Paul I was murdered. The look back to behind the scenes shenanigans by the competing Cardinals in 1978 is fascinating whether one accepts Mr. Rocha's assertion or not. The present scenario with Sarah on the run is more action-packed, but not quite as interesting as three decades ago is. Still thriller fans will enjoy THE LAST POPE wondering how acrimonious poisoning politics even enter the selection of who will wear The Shoes of the Fisherman (by Morris West). Harriet Klausner

Luis Miguel Rocha's historical novel "O Ultimo Papa" (Death of the Pope) is an excellent adventure story that combines unexplained events leading to the death of Pope John Paul I in 1978 (after only 33 days of Papacy) allegedly at the hands of mysterious and dangerous organizations. In a similar prose as Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons," Luis Miguel Rocha captures historical figures and combines them masterfully with characters of his own imagination. The novel is supposedly based on true facts given to the author by the "killer" of John Paul I, someone who goes by the initials JC, and who will become known in the next few months.