Upon This Rock

An American couple in Italy investigate the suicide of a cleric in the picturesque city of Orvieto -- and find themselves plunged into a conspiracy that may destroy the Catholic Church -- in the stunning new thriller Upon This Rock. A Dan Brown-esque tale of intrigue, history, art, the secrets of the Church, and the conspiracies of the powerful, Upon This Rock will keep readers on edge from its original premise to its startling denouement, set in the stunning background of one of Europes most captivating cities. San Francisco business executive Lee Maury and his husband Adriano come to Orvieto to soak in the citys beauty and rich history, but Lee becomes fascinated with a local tragedy, the suicide one year earlier of Deacon Andrea, a much-loved candidate for the priesthood. Growing obsessed with learning the truth behind Andreas death, Lee finds that everyone in Orvieto has some connection with Andrea: the handsome former Swiss Guard and bisexual prostitute Grigori; the kindly elderly priest Don Bello; the gossipy American expat blogger Lady Peg; African immigrant street musician Dawud and his sister Maryam, who is en-route to Italy with black market smugglers; the exiled Episcopal priest Rev. Vicki; Orvietos new bishop, Arnaud, a sexually conflicted member of Opus Dei; the powerful head of the Vatican press office Cardinal Maltoni; and the secretive political fixer Magda Carter. Woven throughout is a 500-year-old backstory -- the plight of Medici Pope Clement VII who sought refuge in Orvieto following the Sack of Rome, whose time in Orvieto is somehow linked to the mysteries of the present. As Lee and Adriano struggle to make sense of these relationships, they stumble upon a conspiracy of terrorism, human trafficking, and a plot to plant a nuclear dirty bomb in the tomb of St. Peter. Before they know it, Lee and Adrianos dream vacation becomes a race to save innocent lives -- and not get killed in the process. A compulsive page-turning thriller with high stakes action in a glamorous setting -- and filled with countless unforgettable characters -- Upon This Rock is a sensationally entertaining read from a major new talent.