Read by Kate Reading, God's Spy by Juan Gomez-Jurado is a modern thriller set in the Vatican.
Victor Karosky, a paedophile priest who has been chemically castrated is ritually murdering cardinals who are set to vote in the Conclave following the death of John Paul II.
He cuts out the cardinal's tongues, gouges out their eyes and removes their hands - all whilst they are still alive.
He is pursued by Paola Dicanti, Italian inspector for the Violent Crimes Unit and FBI-trained profiler alongside Air Force intelligence officer Padre Anthony Fowler, whose knowledge of Karosky stems from treating him during his incarceration in a home for wayward priests in the US.
This is Juan Gomez-Jurado's debut novel.
Received with much critical Jurado is an award winning Spanish journalist.
Kate Reading puts in a fine performance.
Her characterisation is excellent, giving a distinct voice to each of the characters.
The narrative is mostly set in the Vatican, but there are occasional flashbacks to interviews and events during his incarceration that seem to explain Karosky's current campaign of terror.
We discover that he is the child of abusive parents.
Juan Gomez-Jurado's plot is routine, but the setting & the premise lifts this highly recommended debut thriller to a higher level.
Following the clues, Dicante & Fowler are thwarted by powerful forces in the Vatican who are determined that news of the murders will not get out.
Crudely, we might say that this thriller is Dan Brown meets Thomas Harris.
This is thriller not to be missed.