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A Thief In The Night: Life And Death In The Vatican
"A model of investigatory journalism and a small masterpiece of the genre."--Anthony Burgess
On the eve of September 28, 1978, John Paul I died unexpectedly--apparently of a heart attack--after a reign of only 33 days. But within the Vatican there were serious disagreements about the time of death, who found the body, and the true state of the Pope's health prior to his death. These arguments led to rumors of foul play and conspiracy--variously involving the KGB, the Freemasons, crooked financiers, and Vatican officials. In 1987, the Vatican invited New York Times-bestselling author John Cornwell to conduct a new, independent investigation into the true circumstances of the Pope's death. In A Thief in the Night: Life and Death in the Vatican, Cornwell tells the story of his search, including a startling theory about Pope Paul I's untimely demise--and a chilling and unprecedented look inside one of the world's oldest, most secretive institutions.
"As brilliantly written as a prize-winning mystery story."--Andrew Greeley
"Brilliant . . . this marvelous and compelling investigation has a terrible ring of truth."--The Times (London)
On the eve of September 28, 1978, John Paul I died unexpectedly--apparently of a heart attack--after a reign of only 33 days. But within the Vatican there were serious disagreements about the time of death, who found the body, and the true state of the Pope's health prior to his death. These arguments led to rumors of foul play and conspiracy--variously involving the KGB, the Freemasons, crooked financiers, and Vatican officials. In 1987, the Vatican invited New York Times-bestselling author John Cornwell to conduct a new, independent investigation into the true circumstances of the Pope's death. In A Thief in the Night: Life and Death in the Vatican, Cornwell tells the story of his search, including a startling theory about Pope Paul I's untimely demise--and a chilling and unprecedented look inside one of the world's oldest, most secretive institutions.
"As brilliantly written as a prize-winning mystery story."--Andrew Greeley
"Brilliant . . . this marvelous and compelling investigation has a terrible ring of truth."--The Times (London)
366 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 1989
6 people are currently reading
969 people want to read
About the author
John Cornwell
84 books49 followersJohn Cornwell is a British journalist, author, and academic. Since 1990 he has directed the Science and Human Dimension Project at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he is also, since 2009, Founder and Director of the Rustat Conferences. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (University of Leicester) in 2011. He was nominated for the PEN/Ackerley Prize for best UK memoir 2007 (Seminary Boy) and shortlisted Specialist Journalist of the Year (science, medicine in Sunday Times Magazine), British Press Awards 2006. He won the Scientific and Medical Network Book of the Year Award for Hitler's Scientists, 2005; and received the Independent Television Authority - Tablet Award for contributions to religious journalism (1994). In 1982 he won the Gold Dagger Award Non-Fiction (1982) for Earth to Earth. He is best known for his investigative journalism; memoir; and his work in public understanding of science. In addition to his books on the relationship between science, ethics and the humanities, he has written widely on the Catholic Church and the modern papacy.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 29, 2009
Popes have been assassinated on numerous occasions over the past 1990 years. The first to be poisoned was John VIII. He was also clubbed to death by members of his inner circle after they discovered the poison they had administered to the Pope wasn't working fast enough. Other Popes murdered include John X, Benedict VI, Boniface VII, Paul II, and Alexander VI. So it should come as no surprise, that in the land of "Foucault's Pendulum," conspiracy rumors surfaced immediately when Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I, died suddenly at age 66, after only 33 days in office. At the time of his death he was supposedly reading. He had no history of heart trouble.
Some conspiratorialists claimed John Paul was about to blow the whistle on the Vatican Bank, then tormented by a series of scandals; others declared he was murdered because he intended to reverse Humanae Vitae and to liberalize birth control; and the Lefebvreites were certain the Catholic hierarchy had been infiltrated by satanic emissaries determined on destroying traditional rituals and practices.
The Vatican made matters worse by issuing a series of contradictory statements about the circumstances of his death. Contradictory times of death were reported, different people were supposed to have found the body, there was dispute about whether there had been an autopsy, when the embalmers had been called, etc., etc., etc.
John Cornwell, a respected British journalist and former seminarian, was asked by the Vatican to investigate. He agreed reluctantly. The Vatican provided complete access and everyone was commanded, on highest authority (short of God, I suppose), that he was to have full cooperation. His probe was thorough. He interviewed everyone, cross-checked all the evidence, and slowly made his way through the maze of contradictions. A Thief In The Night: The Mysterious Death of John Paul I is the intriguing and fascinating result.
His conclusions are perhaps more damning than the Vatican might have wished. What he discovered was "...a court, a palace of gossipy eunuchs. The whole place floats on a sea of brilliant bitchery." (This is a quote from a Vatican priest interviewed by Cornwell.)
John Paul I had inherited enormous responsibility. The Pope oversees more than a billion faithful through out the world. He must deal with religious crises in many countries, personally visit with over 3,000 bishops at least once every 5 years, and battle the subversive influences of change and culture. He also must supervise a recalcitrant and enormous bureaucracy.
It was clear to Vatican professionals from the start that the new Pope was not up to the job, either mentally or physically. They ridiculed his pastoral ways and his desire to diminish the regal trappings of the papacy. Many felt threatened. The Pope himself complained almost daily to his intimate staff that he was the wrong man for the job, and he prayed God would relieve him of this burden. After his death one Vatican official told Cornwell, "...the Holy Spirit did a good job: relieving us of him before he did too much damage."
Despite obvious signs of physical difficulties, the Pope was assigned no physician during those thirty days, and although surrounded by attendants, he had no friends. He was cut off from his family by well-meaning guards and officials who thought he had more important things to do than spend time with his niece. They loaded him down with work. (In fact, Villot, Vatican Secretary of State, suffered great remorse, so sure was he that he had killed the Pope with overwork.)
I won't give away any secrets. If you want to know the solution you're going to have to read the book. Cornwell does say scorn and neglect were contributing factors. Better than any murder mystery.
Some conspiratorialists claimed John Paul was about to blow the whistle on the Vatican Bank, then tormented by a series of scandals; others declared he was murdered because he intended to reverse Humanae Vitae and to liberalize birth control; and the Lefebvreites were certain the Catholic hierarchy had been infiltrated by satanic emissaries determined on destroying traditional rituals and practices.
The Vatican made matters worse by issuing a series of contradictory statements about the circumstances of his death. Contradictory times of death were reported, different people were supposed to have found the body, there was dispute about whether there had been an autopsy, when the embalmers had been called, etc., etc., etc.
John Cornwell, a respected British journalist and former seminarian, was asked by the Vatican to investigate. He agreed reluctantly. The Vatican provided complete access and everyone was commanded, on highest authority (short of God, I suppose), that he was to have full cooperation. His probe was thorough. He interviewed everyone, cross-checked all the evidence, and slowly made his way through the maze of contradictions. A Thief In The Night: The Mysterious Death of John Paul I is the intriguing and fascinating result.
His conclusions are perhaps more damning than the Vatican might have wished. What he discovered was "...a court, a palace of gossipy eunuchs. The whole place floats on a sea of brilliant bitchery." (This is a quote from a Vatican priest interviewed by Cornwell.)
John Paul I had inherited enormous responsibility. The Pope oversees more than a billion faithful through out the world. He must deal with religious crises in many countries, personally visit with over 3,000 bishops at least once every 5 years, and battle the subversive influences of change and culture. He also must supervise a recalcitrant and enormous bureaucracy.
It was clear to Vatican professionals from the start that the new Pope was not up to the job, either mentally or physically. They ridiculed his pastoral ways and his desire to diminish the regal trappings of the papacy. Many felt threatened. The Pope himself complained almost daily to his intimate staff that he was the wrong man for the job, and he prayed God would relieve him of this burden. After his death one Vatican official told Cornwell, "...the Holy Spirit did a good job: relieving us of him before he did too much damage."
Despite obvious signs of physical difficulties, the Pope was assigned no physician during those thirty days, and although surrounded by attendants, he had no friends. He was cut off from his family by well-meaning guards and officials who thought he had more important things to do than spend time with his niece. They loaded him down with work. (In fact, Villot, Vatican Secretary of State, suffered great remorse, so sure was he that he had killed the Pope with overwork.)
I won't give away any secrets. If you want to know the solution you're going to have to read the book. Cornwell does say scorn and neglect were contributing factors. Better than any murder mystery.
February 15, 2015
In A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I, John Cornwell recounts his investigation into the death of Pope John Paul I, who served as Pope for a mere 33 days in 1978. At the time of his death, contradictory reports led to rumors that the Pope had been murdered. At the urging of the Vatican, Cornwell attempts to set the record straight.
Cornwell recounts numerous interviews with those close to the Pope at the time of his death. Accounts contradict one another. Facts come in and out of focus. No one seems to be telling the entire truth. Cornwell is given special dispensation to conduct his investigation, but it’s clear that many doors are still closed to him.
In the end, A Thief in the Night becomes as twisted and convoluted as the facts in the case. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of the players, especially as Cornwell veers into a secondary investigation into multiple scandals involving the Vatican Bank. As the reader turns the last few pages, it is clear that much about Pope John Paul I’s last days will remain unclear.
Where Cornwell is successful is in painting a picture of the Vatican as a place where rumors are invaluable currency, egos are stroked and rebuffed in equal measure, and any number of tactics are used to ensure that the Catholic Church is seen in a good light. It’s this world into which John Paul I enters, unprepared for the task at hand. Based on Cornwell’s findings, it is obvious that John Paul I was likely not murdered. It’s just as clear that he was not qualified to be Pope, and that the Vatican fell down on the job of ensuring his success and his health.
A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I was read as part of the 2015 Reading Challenge.
Category: A Book Based On A True Story
Cornwell recounts numerous interviews with those close to the Pope at the time of his death. Accounts contradict one another. Facts come in and out of focus. No one seems to be telling the entire truth. Cornwell is given special dispensation to conduct his investigation, but it’s clear that many doors are still closed to him.
In the end, A Thief in the Night becomes as twisted and convoluted as the facts in the case. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of the players, especially as Cornwell veers into a secondary investigation into multiple scandals involving the Vatican Bank. As the reader turns the last few pages, it is clear that much about Pope John Paul I’s last days will remain unclear.
Where Cornwell is successful is in painting a picture of the Vatican as a place where rumors are invaluable currency, egos are stroked and rebuffed in equal measure, and any number of tactics are used to ensure that the Catholic Church is seen in a good light. It’s this world into which John Paul I enters, unprepared for the task at hand. Based on Cornwell’s findings, it is obvious that John Paul I was likely not murdered. It’s just as clear that he was not qualified to be Pope, and that the Vatican fell down on the job of ensuring his success and his health.
A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I was read as part of the 2015 Reading Challenge.
Category: A Book Based On A True Story
June 7, 2013
Pope John Paul I died suddenly after only 33 days as Pontiff in 1978. Details were murky, and rumors that he was murdered would not go away. The Vatican authorized Cornwell to conduct an investigation in the late 1980s in hopes of closure. The author does not find evidence of assassination but does have plenty of criticism of the Vatican. The book reads like a good mystery.
August 13, 2014
Thorough exploration of theories and wild speculation about the death of Pope John Paul I. Goes deep into the Vatican bureaucracy, rich with gossip and jealousy and petty old men. A little dated, but very well constructed.
July 16, 2024
A fictionalised biography, but of the better kind. Very well written. The incident with John Paul I is but the occasion to explore and expose the Vatican mindset and that works fine too!
July 22, 2024
I feel like this is two books in one and I really enjoyed both.
I believe the main story is a whodunit which include the possibility that nobody done it. Pope John Paul I dies under mysterious circumstances 33 days after becoming pope in 1978. Some of the details released immediately after his death lead to more questions than answers which only increases the perception that he may have been killed.
Was he killed, if so how was he killed and who did it?
The author was a reporter asked by the Vatican to look into the matter in hopes that he will set the record straight that Pope John Paul died of natural causes. Cornwall agrees but only with the understanding that he will report on what he finds regardless of the outcome.
He meets plenty of resistance from the people he is trying to interview which of course makes you wonder why.
The investigation and the authors ability to explain the different issues reads like a Dan Brown book without the fiction.
To me this would have made for a really interesting read by itself but it was the second component that surprised me the most. As Cornwell interviews the many powerful people in the vatican including bishops and cardinals I was shocked how competitive and jealous these men of faith were of each-other. I get that people are people but you would think these most holy would be above the normal human inadequacies but that couldn't be farther from the truth.
I believe the main story is a whodunit which include the possibility that nobody done it. Pope John Paul I dies under mysterious circumstances 33 days after becoming pope in 1978. Some of the details released immediately after his death lead to more questions than answers which only increases the perception that he may have been killed.
Was he killed, if so how was he killed and who did it?
The author was a reporter asked by the Vatican to look into the matter in hopes that he will set the record straight that Pope John Paul died of natural causes. Cornwall agrees but only with the understanding that he will report on what he finds regardless of the outcome.
He meets plenty of resistance from the people he is trying to interview which of course makes you wonder why.
The investigation and the authors ability to explain the different issues reads like a Dan Brown book without the fiction.
To me this would have made for a really interesting read by itself but it was the second component that surprised me the most. As Cornwell interviews the many powerful people in the vatican including bishops and cardinals I was shocked how competitive and jealous these men of faith were of each-other. I get that people are people but you would think these most holy would be above the normal human inadequacies but that couldn't be farther from the truth.
June 25, 2018
the official whitewash. Lots of interesting details, too many of them in places, and a very strong authorial presence, almost too strong at times, the book makes a half-hearted attempt to conceal it is a whitewash, but doesn't succeed. It was not bad, but a whitewash nevertheless and the strong authorial presence grates the nerves. In its favour, it gives a compelling picture of what the Vatican is like
February 26, 2007
I loved this book. It's a true story about John Paul I and his mysterious death after only 33 days as Pope in 1978. It's a mystery/conspiracy involving the KGB, the Freemasons, crooked finaciers and Vatican officials. Completely engrossing!!! I would read it a second time!
Read
November 6, 2024DNF @ 15%
May 6, 2024
You can read Agatha Christie or you can read John Cornwell. I had worked out the solution to this murder mystery before the end. About seventy-five cent through, I should say, I decided that Pope John Paul I had fallen asleep reading with the light on and thereafter died in his sleep of natural causes. All the clues were there.
Cornwell’s writing has momentum. He draws you in and carries you along. The various characters come alive on the page together with Cornwell’s sympathies and antipathies. His mind wandered back and forth over the various possibilities until he really had me guessing. Now I have to read the rest of the book to see if I am right.
My goodness, didn’t Italians stir up trouble for foreigners in the Vatican! Archbishop Marcinkus, John Magee, Pope John Paul II. The minor characters saw nothing wrong with making life difficult for these men, pointing the finger, making fabricated accusations or expressing resentment when a Pope had the temerity to be non-Italian. I was reminded strongly of Australia’s George Pell and the witch hunt that landed him in prison on false charges.
John Cornwell’s Vatican seems to me a nightmare where I desperately need to get out. For hours I search for the exit until with relief I find it only to wake up bathed in sweat. Nevertheless, I met many holy men in this book, the dead not least Pope among them. John Paul’s predictions of his own death and his Polish successor (he even got that right) make me glad that I am a Christian and can see the Holy Spirit at work.
Actually, I think that the Holy Spirit has his work cut out for him in the Vatican. If you want to be holy, you’re better off being a hermit in a cave. For me, this made it more of a miracle that Cornwell painted such a beautiful picture of a Pope we hardly knew.
Cornwell’s writing has momentum. He draws you in and carries you along. The various characters come alive on the page together with Cornwell’s sympathies and antipathies. His mind wandered back and forth over the various possibilities until he really had me guessing. Now I have to read the rest of the book to see if I am right.
My goodness, didn’t Italians stir up trouble for foreigners in the Vatican! Archbishop Marcinkus, John Magee, Pope John Paul II. The minor characters saw nothing wrong with making life difficult for these men, pointing the finger, making fabricated accusations or expressing resentment when a Pope had the temerity to be non-Italian. I was reminded strongly of Australia’s George Pell and the witch hunt that landed him in prison on false charges.
John Cornwell’s Vatican seems to me a nightmare where I desperately need to get out. For hours I search for the exit until with relief I find it only to wake up bathed in sweat. Nevertheless, I met many holy men in this book, the dead not least Pope among them. John Paul’s predictions of his own death and his Polish successor (he even got that right) make me glad that I am a Christian and can see the Holy Spirit at work.
Actually, I think that the Holy Spirit has his work cut out for him in the Vatican. If you want to be holy, you’re better off being a hermit in a cave. For me, this made it more of a miracle that Cornwell painted such a beautiful picture of a Pope we hardly knew.
July 2, 2018
I bought this book for research. The next 'Janus' book starts out with the death of Pope John Paul I. I was hoping this book could shed some light on the mysterious death of a pope who only served 33 days. There was a lot of heat but little light. I thought Cornwell was unnecessarily cruel in some of his descriptions of certain people involved. That may sound odd until you actually read the book. It's like he went out of his way to describe people in the worst possible manner which had nothing to do with the story he was telling.
It hit me that it was his petty way of getting back at the church. I'm not Catholic so it's not like I was hypersensitive. It just seemed like a vendetta book. Cornwell had studied to be a priest and then lost his faith. It was like we were watching him work through that all during the book.
I was looking for more concrete conclusions. I don't want to give anything away, it's just that I didn't know that much more about the death when I finished than when I began. It seemed to be more about 'Cornwell vs. The Church' than real substance. I gave it three stars to be generous because there was a lot of investigative work put in. Just not sure it paid off in the end.
It hit me that it was his petty way of getting back at the church. I'm not Catholic so it's not like I was hypersensitive. It just seemed like a vendetta book. Cornwell had studied to be a priest and then lost his faith. It was like we were watching him work through that all during the book.
I was looking for more concrete conclusions. I don't want to give anything away, it's just that I didn't know that much more about the death when I finished than when I began. It seemed to be more about 'Cornwell vs. The Church' than real substance. I gave it three stars to be generous because there was a lot of investigative work put in. Just not sure it paid off in the end.
August 21, 2018
Pope John Paul I was in office only 33 days before he died. Rumors abounded over his death. Rumors that he was poisoned were bandied about. The situation was made worse by the contradictory information released by the Vatican. Who found the body, the cause of death and the fact there was no autopsy all fueled the conspiracy theories. More fuel to the fire was the fact that the Vatican bank was weathering a scandal over some questionable investments. The head of the bank was a suspect in the conspiracy theories. It was thought he might have killed the Pope to avoid losing his position. Other suspects were the more conservative factions in the hierarchy. The Vatican issued various contradictory statements.
John Cornwall, the author of this book, was enlisted to investigate the death and put an end to the rumors and discover the true facts. The book reads almost like a mystery, as the author questions the principals in the affair. He has to try to sort out the differing stories and motives of participants and arrive at what actually happened. He also has to debunk the rumors that had grown up around the incident. His conclusion is a surprise that I felt was unexpected.
John Cornwall, the author of this book, was enlisted to investigate the death and put an end to the rumors and discover the true facts. The book reads almost like a mystery, as the author questions the principals in the affair. He has to try to sort out the differing stories and motives of participants and arrive at what actually happened. He also has to debunk the rumors that had grown up around the incident. His conclusion is a surprise that I felt was unexpected.
January 3, 2022
I thought this book was a nice summary of the intrigue that went with the reign of Pope John Paul I, the smiling pope. It reached some different conclusions than other telling of JP1’s demise.
I liked reading a different tale on Archbishop Marcinkus and Cardinal Villot along with a cast of many other notable figures involved in the supposed cover up.
Author does a nice job of laying out 10 questions he purports to answer. Is every question answer well tied together? No, but there is a conceivable hypothesis which can be somewhat supported. To a certain extent, there is still a lot of guess work that goes with the frustrating and contradictory accounts from individuals within the church.
I read another work by this author - Hitler’s Pope, which I thought was far superior. While Thief in the Night is a historical investigative account, the reader has to choose to accept an account here, told through the lens of who the author feels is most believable.
I recommend giving this a read if it’s a topic that interests you, but know that answers won’t be clear cut and that the author was repetitive at times…I thought the editing could have been better.
I liked reading a different tale on Archbishop Marcinkus and Cardinal Villot along with a cast of many other notable figures involved in the supposed cover up.
Author does a nice job of laying out 10 questions he purports to answer. Is every question answer well tied together? No, but there is a conceivable hypothesis which can be somewhat supported. To a certain extent, there is still a lot of guess work that goes with the frustrating and contradictory accounts from individuals within the church.
I read another work by this author - Hitler’s Pope, which I thought was far superior. While Thief in the Night is a historical investigative account, the reader has to choose to accept an account here, told through the lens of who the author feels is most believable.
I recommend giving this a read if it’s a topic that interests you, but know that answers won’t be clear cut and that the author was repetitive at times…I thought the editing could have been better.
January 21, 2024
Death by Hypocrisy and Neglect
John Cornwell’s thorough investigation into the death of Pope John Paul I, who died just 33 days after becoming Pope in 1978, does not reveal any murder conspiracies or overt plots to assassinate the Pope. Cornwell does, however, uncover systemic skullduggery and a plague of hypocrisy among the dozens of Vatican personnel—many of them priests, bishops, and archbishops—who claimed to love and care about the Pope yet did little to help him during his brief time as pontiff.
Cornwell discovered that the Pope was suffering from a number of health ailments before he was elected, was perplexed by being chosen (he did, in fact, refuse the title when he was first elected but was compelled to accept it when he was elected again), and longed for imminent death.
Perhaps the most troubling—if not quite shocking—conclusion Cornwell reaches is that men who present themselves as saintly and holy display pervasive faults and foibles that undermine their dignity and integrity. And these flaws, while not directly killing John Paul I, certainly contributed to his demise, which was almost certainly preventable.
John Cornwell’s thorough investigation into the death of Pope John Paul I, who died just 33 days after becoming Pope in 1978, does not reveal any murder conspiracies or overt plots to assassinate the Pope. Cornwell does, however, uncover systemic skullduggery and a plague of hypocrisy among the dozens of Vatican personnel—many of them priests, bishops, and archbishops—who claimed to love and care about the Pope yet did little to help him during his brief time as pontiff.
Cornwell discovered that the Pope was suffering from a number of health ailments before he was elected, was perplexed by being chosen (he did, in fact, refuse the title when he was first elected but was compelled to accept it when he was elected again), and longed for imminent death.
Perhaps the most troubling—if not quite shocking—conclusion Cornwell reaches is that men who present themselves as saintly and holy display pervasive faults and foibles that undermine their dignity and integrity. And these flaws, while not directly killing John Paul I, certainly contributed to his demise, which was almost certainly preventable.
May 10, 2018
Very interesting and thought provoking mystery on the death of Pope John Paul the First.
I think the Vatican could have been more helpful with the author, as he was asked to conduct an independent investigation by the Vatican itself. The cause of death, estimated time of death, the Dr. who signed the Death Certificate and why it wasn't allowed to be viewed along with the fact there was no autopsy performed, makes for an interesting read. The author did a good job in getting as much information as he could, even tho he got the run-around from various people in the Vatican.
Being a Catholic myself, I think the Vatican could have been more open as to the Pope's health during that time. The Pope should have had help in showing him what procedures were needed in order to help alleviate some of his work load during the initial beginning of his tenure. I don't believe he was poisoned, but I do believe that he wasn't given the help he needed in every day paperwork.
I recommend this book to all those who are interested in historical mysteries.
I think the Vatican could have been more helpful with the author, as he was asked to conduct an independent investigation by the Vatican itself. The cause of death, estimated time of death, the Dr. who signed the Death Certificate and why it wasn't allowed to be viewed along with the fact there was no autopsy performed, makes for an interesting read. The author did a good job in getting as much information as he could, even tho he got the run-around from various people in the Vatican.
Being a Catholic myself, I think the Vatican could have been more open as to the Pope's health during that time. The Pope should have had help in showing him what procedures were needed in order to help alleviate some of his work load during the initial beginning of his tenure. I don't believe he was poisoned, but I do believe that he wasn't given the help he needed in every day paperwork.
I recommend this book to all those who are interested in historical mysteries.
May 28, 2024
I recently reread this book having read it for the first time in 1998.
This is a great account of the death of Pope John Paul I following one of the shortest papacies in modern times. It still remains very much the page turner despite the passage of time and the new information that has come to light in more modern and approved accounts of the events that surrounded JPI - most notably The September Pope by Stefania Falasca.
The interview by Bishop John Magee, who was the Private secretary to the pope comes across as very guarded in Cornwell's book, but it does reveal a magnificent insight into the running of the Papal Household and how the day to day affairs of the pope are arranged, directed and protected.
This is one of the few books that I always enjoy reading time and again, and if your are interested in Papal affairs and haven't read this book, then you will not be disappointed.
Damian North, Author of the Papal Trilogy - Pontifex Maximus Now the End Begins
This is a great account of the death of Pope John Paul I following one of the shortest papacies in modern times. It still remains very much the page turner despite the passage of time and the new information that has come to light in more modern and approved accounts of the events that surrounded JPI - most notably The September Pope by Stefania Falasca.
The interview by Bishop John Magee, who was the Private secretary to the pope comes across as very guarded in Cornwell's book, but it does reveal a magnificent insight into the running of the Papal Household and how the day to day affairs of the pope are arranged, directed and protected.
This is one of the few books that I always enjoy reading time and again, and if your are interested in Papal affairs and haven't read this book, then you will not be disappointed.
Damian North, Author of the Papal Trilogy - Pontifex Maximus Now the End Begins
March 30, 2018
Pope John Paul I was only the Pope for 33 days before his sudden death on September 28th, 1978. 10 years after the event John Cornwell gets thrown into a reinvestigation of the events of that strange night. The book gives great insight deep into the Vatican and into the life of Fr. Albino Luciani leading up to and through the night of his death. We learn about the banking trouble the Vatican is tied to and all of the players involved. John manages to clarify virtually all of the fiction surrounding the stories of when and how the Pope died. The amount of misinformation easily lead to all sorts of conspiracies and one can see why. It's an enjoyable read.
November 17, 2017
Interesting look inside the Vatican. I do not remember hearing about this death, so it was interesting to hear the various theories.
January 31, 2018
3 and a half stars
Naughty naughty Vatican
Naughty naughty Vatican
November 2, 2019
A good read by journalist Cornwell. He concludes that bureaucracy and indifference killed JPI.
April 21, 2020
I am not sure what to believe
January 14, 2016
Cornell writes of the circumstances surrounding the death of Pope John Paul I, who died on September 28, 1978 after reigning as the Pontiff for only thirty-three days. In question was: who found the body, when was the body found, what was the official cause of death and the time, what was the timing of the embalmment, what was the Pope holding when he died, what happened to some of his personal belongings, what was his health before his demise, was there a secret autopsy, and when were the morticians called. There were many tedious details, and I probably should have made a chart of some kind to keep the characters straight. If this was not a book club selection, I would have either abandoned it or not have read it at all.
August 18, 2011
It consists of many interviews to stake holders in and outside of Vatican, and the discrepancy between them are very interesting for readers. Although the conspiracy theory of Pope John Paul I is very exciting for mass media, I think at least the author succeeded to offer rebuttal evidences against David Yallop's book "In God's Name."
July 16, 2009
The most concise and "probably" correct investigation of the death of John Paul I.
Reads quick like a novel and there are some real "charicters," but also full of history and background into the Holy See.
Reads quick like a novel and there are some real "charicters," but also full of history and background into the Holy See.
March 20, 2013
Well researched, unbiased investigation into the death of Pope John Paul I. No conspiracy, but tragedy all the same. It appears that being the Pope is a very lonely job.
September 12, 2016
John Paul I died scorned and neglected by the institution that existed to sustain him.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews