From Publishers Weekly
Gruesome murders, graft and wildly deviant sexual practices among the denizens of a rundown Italian monastery in Rome enliven this fast-moving, if superficial, black comedy debut set in motion by the theft of some old paintings from the abbey of San Redempto. With a little investigation, the abbey's archivist, Reverend Brocard Curtis, learns that the stolen art depicting martyrs may be valuable unrecognized early works by Poussin. As Brocard digs into the mystery of the theft, aided by a Serbo-Croatian transsexual art history professor, Zinka Pavlic, and her girlfriend, his fellow monks keep turning up murdered in progressively more grotesque fashion. Bodies are discovered in the garden, the well and even impaled on the praying hands of a statue of Mary. Soon nature itself rises against the abbey in torrential rain and mud slides that bring down the old buildings, and the Church disbands the brothers' order in response to the scandal. Now the surviving members, such as Father Dionysius, the only heterosexual among them, are spread throughout the world and keep in touch through the wonders of e-mail, while Brocard's pursuit of the theft propels him to the Vatican and then the Louvre. The action takes place in numerous short chapters that often have little sequential connection to one another, making for jarring reading. Throughout, the monks remorselessly commit petty crimes and engage in prohibited sex acts, including sadomasochism, pederasty, whoring and even live video cyber-exhibitionism on the Worldwide Web. Of course, the villains go even further astray. First novelist Van Adler reportedly "works for the Roman Catholic Church." If, as it appears, he or she has an ax to grind with his or her employer, the author manages it with some suspense and an over-the-top, often macabre sense of humor.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Six paintings have been stolen from the declining Roman monastery of San Redempto, and the remaining painting, of the martyr St. Agatha, is revealed to be a possible treasure by a French Master. This revelation spells unwanted attention and change for the 12 members of the dwindling religious community as enemies old and new gather to reap the artistic and financial windfall. For many, the discovery brings violence, as various members of the community try desperately to protect their secrets. For others, it brings freedom, and for the abbey's archivist, Brocard, it brings a mystery to be solved. A fascinating mixture of good, evil, blood, religion, and the Internet, this first novel is a compelling read. An international cast of flamboyant characters, a fantastic brooding atmosphere, and nearly absurd levels of corruption only add to the fun. The sex acts depicted (straight, bisexual, gay, and S&M) may offend sensitive readers, but this is not an erotic book. Highly recommended for most collections.?Devon Thomas, Highland Township Lib., MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
