Customer Reviews

God's Spy

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"God's Spy" tells the story of a serial killer dispatching Cardinals with bloody glee: as such - as it investigates Catholic arcana, features many chases, and an incipient love story between an American and a European - it will, of course, be blithely compared to the Earth-Shatteringly Popular Novel We Will Not Name. But Juan Gomez-Jurado's work deserves much closer scrutiny, and it deserves, more importantly, to be read. Paola Discanti, his heroine, is both compelling and sympathetic, and Father Fowler is a winning foil. Gomez-Jurado writes with an insider's knowledge of Rome and the Vatican, and more importantly for a crime novelist, an insider's knowledge of a damaged human mind. Definitely a writer to watch.

It takes literary guts for a first-time novelist to set his tale of bloody murder against the backdrop of the death of as beloved a pope as John Paul II, but that is exactly what young Juan Gomez-Jurado has done. You certainly can't argue with the book's success, either, as it has already attained bestseller status in Europe and Latin America. I believe something has been lost in James Graham's English translation of the original Spanish novel, but God's Spy is still a riveting, unorthodox thriller that holds nothing back in its account of a maniacal priest targeting prominent cardinals for obscene torture and murder - and one Italian investigator's torturous, continually restricted mission to stop him.

Murder just doesn't happen in Vatican City, yet Detective Paola Dicanti can't deny the obvious as she gazes down on what is left of a body found murdered upon the altar of the Church of Santa Maria. I won't go into details, but I will tell you they are grisly, enough to make Jack the Ripper glance away. Things only get worse when she discovers the dead man is a prominent cardinal, one of the men who would soon be choosing a new pope to replace the just-deceased John Paul II. In one way, it's just the kind of case Paola has been longing for, one that finally gives her a chance to put her FBI profiling training to use. In every other way, though, it's a nightmare. While nominally in charge, she is compelled to work with Vatican authorities whose determination to keep everything secret makes them a hindrance as much of a help. As the best example of this, Paola is furious to discover that another murder preceded this one - with all evidence, including the body of the dead cardinal, destroyed by the Vatican. On top of all this, the investigative team grows a third head with the arrival of an American priest and former Army intelligence officer. Father Fowler does come with critical information, at least - namely, the identity of the killer. Already, you can see how God's Spy differs from your conventional murder mystery thriller. Paola doesn't have the resources or stature to go Dirty Harry on anybody, the murderer's identity is established early on, and the investigative process consists of a great deal of internal bickering between parties with their own separate interests.

With the killer targeting important cardinals of the impending papal conclave, he must be stopped at all costs - but without the knowledge of the cardinals or, heaven forbid, the tens of thousands of mourners descending upon the city to pay their respects to John Paul II. Those kinds of conditions put Paola in an extremely difficult position. As for the killer, he is one wily devil, that's for sure, as he manages to kill and kill again before slipping away into thin air. On numerous occasions, though, the working relationships of the investigators take on even more interest than the investigation itself, especially when it comes to the uncomfortable working dynamics between the Vatican ecclesiastical authorities, the Vatican police, the Italian police, and whoever Father Fowler actually works for. The murderer isn't the only character keeping secrets over the course of this grisly saga.

God's Spy remains at all times an intriguing, surprisingly in-your-face mystery thriller, featuring a steady dose of adrenaline-packed action and a surprising amount of gore courtesy of the sadistic killer. Knowing the identity of the killer takes nothing away from the mystery, as unanswered questions dot the landscape of the investigation and Gomez-Jurado delivers a number of fairly significant surprises in the book's final pages. As I mentioned earlier, though, I do feel something was lost in the translation from Spanish to English. Some of the sentences read rather awkwardly, and I can't help but wonder if some of the language used by certain characters is accurate or just a product of the translation. If you are fluent in Spanish, I would definitely recommend you pick up a copy of the book in its original form. I also had some trouble telling some of the minor characters apart, largely because their Italian names made it difficult for me to tie names and characters together. Clearly, that little problem is entirely on me, but I would be remiss not to mention it.

Certainly, however, I would recommend this novel to all mystery lovers. In terms of authorial audacity alone, it's worth a look, but the amazing thing is that the author totally delivers the goods. God's Spy is an extremely impressive debut from an author poised to completely skip the ranks of the up-and-coming to claim a seat among the well-established writers of the genre.

This review refers to "God's Spy" by Juan Gomez-Jurado(English translation edition)

I stayed up late last night to finish reading this book. I couldn't wait to see what would happen on every page of this surprising and shocking thriller. And with each chapter I found twists and turns, unpredictable turns of events, characters to get emotionally involved with, and learned a bit of historical lessons in the bargain. The more deeply I got into the story, the more I had to read.

Author Juan Gomez-Jurado combines a brilliant imagination in a historical setting to weave for us a tale that sets it apart from the rest. I am excited to review this book and hope to point lovers of a good, highly suspense filled thriller in the direction of this fine novel.

The setting is Vatican City. John Paul II has died and hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to mourn his death and await word of the next Pope. Amidst the masses, there's a dangerous killer on the loose. And this killer is more dangerous and psychotic then Norman Bates, Hannibal Lector and Jaws combined. His victims never see it coming. They are tortured of acts so despicable and horrible, that even the most seasoned cops find the results hard to take. Gomez-Jurado lets us know early on who this very disturbed killer is, but don't worry, there is still plenty to keep you enthralled, shock you with new revelations and keep you turning those pages, as Inspector Paola Dicante works in dangerous situations to uncover the truth .

Gomez-Jurado keeps it a tight, mysterious and dark thriller with a psychologically chilling backdrop. Every character has their own personal stories that keep us involved with them as well. The good and the evil both. Some carry deep dark secrets,that we are given bits and pieces of through flashbacks until it all comes together exquisitely.Until then there are times we really don't know who to trust.

I loved Paola. I was thrilled to be reading about a smart heroic woman as the main character instead of the side-kick and hope that this book will be the start to a great series with more of 'Ispettore' Dicante to read in the future.

As far as the translation. I thought it was wonderful and didn't feel I lost anything of the story. There may have been a phrase or two that might have translated a little differently in American-English, but I felt this only added to the flavor of the book. I could practically hear the various accents being spoken.

Bravo to Juan Gomez-Jurado for a brilliant first novel. And I must also add high marks for the research it must have taken in so many complex areas to give us such an authentic read, even including a nice map of Vatican City to follow the story.

The book deals with some very sensitive subject matter, in several respects, so it's definitely not for the squeamish. But if you are looking for a good thriller that fits into the historical novel genre, look no further. I can highly recommend this one.

Enjoy the read...Laurie

also recommended:Winter Prey

Even if you ignore the dramatis personae at the front of the book (which tells you who the killer is) it is pretty obvious from page 1, and he is explicitly identified early on. The problem for the Italian/Vatican police is finding a psychopathic paedophile priest who is murdering cardinals as they gather in Rome for the funeral of John Paul II. The book is a gripping read, well above average for the genre, I read in one sitting on a transatlantic fligh. Although we know who the killer is, the plot has some surprises, as one of the characters reminds us - things are not always what they seem. Will Jodie Foster play the Italian female cop in the movie I wonder?

As a fan of legal thrillers, I found this book to be an interesting change of genre. Serial killings. There's perhaps a little more detail than I like here, but I couldn't put down this fast moving, gripping read. Good character and plot development, and well-defined setting. I was IN Rome. Incredible for a first novel. I didn't know that the work had been translated from Spanish, and thought the occasional syntactical strain was done purposely to give the reader a sense of European language and culture. It worked for me. My only negative was the (IMO) overuse of profanity, especially the female protag in front of the "good" priest. Nevertheless, I was compelled to finish the book.

I just finished listening to this and found it a very good novel. If you like mysteries involving the Vatican and the Catholic faith like the Da Vinci Code you will really like this one. The character development and the the storyline was well written and had no confusion as some novels will. My wife finished this one and had the same comments. Well worth the time in reading and I am looking forward to his nect endeavor.

The premise of GOD'S SPY, Juan Gomez-Jurado's debut novel, is electrifying. Set in 2005, beginning at the moment of the death of Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church gather in Vatican City to elect a new Pope. Two of them are murdered almost immediately. Paola Dicanti, an Italian police inspector and profiler, is assigned to the investigation. She finds herself working reluctantly with, and occasionally against, the Santa Alianza, the Vatican's equivalent of the Secret Service.

Things take an even more dramatic turn with the appearance of Father Anthony Fowler, an enigmatic American priest with a background in Army intelligence and a history with the killer, who is quickly revealed to be Victor Karosky. It turns out that Fowler had encountered Karosky years before while investigating St. Matthew's Institute in Maryland, a facility utilizing a controversial method for the treatment of pederast clergy. Karosky was one of the patients there, and Fowler's interviews with him continue to haunt Fowler's memory. When someone close to Dicanti is killed by the same individual, it becomes personal --- both for her and the murderer.

The resultant cat-and-mouse pursuit is a heartstopper, using Vatican City, the gathering of the Cardinals and the massive influx of the faithful mourning the deceased Pope to create a tense, electrifying and claustrophobic atmosphere. The investigation is made more difficult by the abrasive relationship between the Italian and Vatican police officials, whose overlapping jurisdictions cause some hostility, and the slow-cooking, uncomfortable and almost irresistible sexual tension between Fowler and Dicanti. It is Karosky, however, who is the perfect villain of the piece, a socially irredeemable monster who seems bent on nothing less than the destruction of the Church hierarchy and who, despite the best efforts of his worthy adversaries, appears unstoppable.

The controversy swirling around GOD'S SPY has multiple origins, not the least of which is the scandal involving the concealment of the molestation of children by Catholic clergy. St. Matthew's Institute, a prominent element of the book, has a real-world model, and its depiction here hits too close to home for some. The author is not pandering --- Karosky's pederasty and how it came to be are central elements in his psychological composition --- but the descriptions of Karosky's childhood are every bit as horrific as the manner of the executions he performs on others.

That having been said, Gomez-Jurado overreaches himself just a bit near the conclusion. Vociferous readers of the genre will guess one of the erstwhile surprises revealed in the denouement (we can be fooled once but not twice), and a half-hearted attempt to somehow tie the Bush administration into the proceedings is so weak and laughable that only a Michael Moore enthusiast would find it credible. Indeed, by the end of the novel, the author himself seems to tire of the stretch and abandons it.

But these are minor quibbles, as GOD'S SPY is a wild, compelling ride full of characters you really want to care about. And good news: if the enigmatic final few pages of this work are any indication, some of these individuals could end up returning for another go-round. Let's hope so.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This book is a thriller, in many ways reminding me of the books by Dan Brown. The premise is that the Catholic Church is a much more complex and brutal entity than the world believes. It still maintains a small private army, the purpose of which is to advance church interests by any means up to and including assassination.

The setting is the death of Pope John Paul II and the upcoming election of the new pope. Two of the most liberal members of the College of Cardinals are brutally murdered. Their eyes are gouged out and messages carved into their skin. This leads to investigations by the Vatican police, whose leader is an absolutely ruthless man. He has no compunctions about beating up a female reporter and probably would have killed her had another police officer not intervened. Other police agencies are involved, a female officer (Paola) and a Catholic priest (Anthony) with a background in the CIA eventually become an unlikely team. Very quickly, they become convinced that it is the work of a serial killer named Victor Karosky, a former Catholic priest. Karosky was sexually and psychologically abused by his parents as a child and as a priest, was abusing the young parishioners. He was sent to a secret "correction camp" run by the church whose purpose is to deal with priests who stray to pedophilia. While he was there, no attempt was made to rehabilitate Karosky, he was further brutalized so that he would turn into a ruthless killer.

However, after several more deaths where Karosky seems to be able to move within the Cardinal enclave at will, Paola determines that Karosky is in fact a hired assassin. His employer is revealed at the end, and the motive is nothing more than the all-to-human desire for power and prestige.

The story is action-packed, subject to several twists and sudden changes of direction, although the climactic ending is so quick that it appears weak. I loved the book, as a reader of fiction for excitement, the extremely negative caricature of the Catholic Church did not disturb me. However, like Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" there are people who will hate it for that reason.

Juan Gómez-Jurado is a young writer form Spain who jumps into the circle of fine international novelists with this his first book, GOD'S SPY. Previously published in Spanish as ESPIA DE DIOS in 2005 and a best seller in thirty five countries, it now is introduced to the American audiences in a translation by James Graham. GOD'S SPY is a fascinating, intellectually challenging, informative dark gothic work about the inner workings of the Vatican: it also is one of the finest suspense mystery thrillers to be published in the last decade.

Setting the story in Rome in April of 2005 at the time of the death of Pope John Paul II, a time when the entire world focused on the mourning of a the passing of the enormously popular Polish pope, Gómez-Jurado sets the stage for the gathering of the 115 cardinals from around the globe on whose shoulders rests the selection of the next pope in an insidiously terrifying manner: there seems to be a brutally necrophiliac serial killer at large whose apparent role is to kill the candidates for the papacy. Assigned to investigate the initial brutal torture and loathsome dismemberment of the first cardinal is a cadre of investigators: Paola Dicanti is an inspector and psychiatrist with Italian police accompanied by detectives Troi and Pontiero and a forensic sculptor Biffi; the Vatican police force `Corpo Vigilanza' represented by Cirin and Dante; and Anthony Fowler, a priest with a background as a former officer in the US Air Force Intelligence who has a mysterious past.

Gómez-Jurado wisely allows the reader to know the identity of the serial killer practically from the first page and it is this technique that serves to make the interplay of the cardinals, priests, Vatican forces, police and journalists more engrossing. The manner in which the characters - with heavy emphasis on Fowler and Dicanti - unravel the clues found at the site of each gruesome murder, each incident unveiling personal backgrounds and demons of each of the people involved, makes for suspenseful reading of the highest order. In the short span between the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI we are taken on a series of events from April 2 - 20, 2005 that make for intoxicating reading!

Though many will draw the inevitable comparison with `The Da Vinci Code' there is far more information contained in this novel, far superior writing, and the secret workings of the Vatican are both illuminating and fascinating to read. Gómez-Jurado is a powerful writer not only in developing an irresistibly engrossing storyline, but also in creating a large cast of characters each of whom is carefully constructed so that we can see and feel them: the proof of the pudding lies in the fact that there are no extraneous characters created - each person we meet is integral to the story.

This is a novel that is satisfying on every level and one that pleads to be transformed into cinematic form. With GOD'S SPY Juan Gómez-Jurado leaps onto the stage as a fully develop and very gifted writer. He is an artist to watch. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 07

No spoilers.

Please take God's Spy for what it is and nothing more. If you are looking for a guilty pleasure read (as many books in this post-da Vinci genre are often termed,) then this novel is what you are looking for. While God's Spy doesn't have any of the unexpected twists or "out-of-nowhere" shockers that are found in Dan Brown and James Rollins-esque books of the same nature (religious and political conspiracy,) if you are looking for an extremely quick read that you don't need to focus too much on and is subject to being interruped without losing one's place in the story, then this novel is fine.

The bottom line is that you should read this book if you devour books and don't spend more than several days reading one. However, if you're looking for an engrossing read or one with unseen complications and baffling mysteries that need solving, you will not be satisfied here.