Holy Predator

by Deborah Stevens

Could a symbol hidden in the U.S. one dollar currency hold the key to who is behind a plot to control over 200 billion dollars?Barricades surround St. Peter’s Basilica and the scene of a gruesome murder. Alonso Garibaldi Poggiani head of Vatican Bank is dead. This, along with the unprecedented election of the first Jesuit Pope, many inside the Vatican wonder if their suspicions are coming true. A code of instructions found in an ancient document, known as the Monita Secreta, outline the methods to increase the Jesuits power around the world but repeatedly deny its existence. Cardinal McKenna calls his friend Anthony Andruccioli asking him to help find out who killed the banker. But, even more troubling is the question could the Pope be involved somehow. Anthony joins forces with the beautiful Christine and they become aware of another powerful group with international connections and must figure out who is the real enemy.

341 pages, Paperback

Published December 21, 2018

About the author

Deborah Andruccioli is the daughter of Albert, an Italian emigrant who married Anna Bonderchuk, whose father emigrated from Eastern Europe. Growing up, she often heard Italian and Russian spoken. Raised outside Detroit, she attended Michigan State University where she graduated with a degree in Interior Design. After college she married and started the next stage of her life moving to Traverse City, Michigan to live on a cherry farm. A few years welcoming her first child. Shortly after having her second child the family moved to Minnesota.

A desire to do more with her life one of her early aspirations was to write a book, but year after year she dismissed the idea, feeling she didn’t have the skills to become an author. Finally, pushing those self-doubts aside, she wrote her first novel, which to her surprise has won six awards. Now having completed the sequel to The Serpent’s Disciple, she is working on the third book in the series. She has plans for others with at least one being a non-fiction book about secrets inside the Vatican.

Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Winner, Category Thriller
Book Excellence Awards, Awarded Book Excellence Award
American Fiction Awards, Winner, Category Religious Thriller
Best Book Awards, Finalist, Category Fiction General
Great Midwest Book Festival, Honorable Mention, Category Fiction
International Book Award, Finalist, Category Religious Fiction

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (11/18)

“Holy Predator” by Deborah Stevens is highly entertaining, and the action keeps one guessing as to what happens next. The Jesuits were never Sicily’s most important monastic order, but now a Jesuit is the leader of the Vatican.

Luciano Bonelli who once gave up on a life of wealth and privilege has sold his soul to the devil. As the superior general of the Jesuits, he chooses to delve into a life of money laundering, control and power. Given the historical background of the Catholic Church and sexual abuse, this gives readers another issue to contemplate. Interestingly, I did not find the author’s story to be all that far-fetched.

Alonso Garibaldi Poggiani head of the Vatican Bank is found dead in a way that will shock the world. Was it due to his intense scrutiny of the church's financial accounting or another way to remove those who stand in the way of the church and mafia laundering money?

“Holy Predator” has a slew of fascinating characters from young priests who are recruited to hide information, two brothers on the opposite ends of how to obtain more power and money, and Christine, Antony and Mary Ellen whose job it is to find out the who, what, when and where.

I loved the plot as it moved forward at a good pace. Descriptions of the churches, hidden tunnels and secret code of instructions were great additions. What slowed my reading down was having to look up Italian words that were not defined which made me lose my train of thought.

The characters were well thought out and developed. Each character had a specific goal, and the author did a remarkable job in her research. “Holy Predator” is not a short, fast read as one has to understand each character and the role he or she plays in the plot. I found although I enjoyed the major characters, there were too many secondary characters for me to keep up with.

Overall Deborah Stevens has developed a great plot that will give readers some food for thought given today's current climate. I recommend “Holy Predator” as an intriguing, thought-provoking read.