Vatican Daughter by Joni Marie Iraci
Inspired by the 1859 kidnappings of Jewish children by Pope Pius IX, “VATICAN DAUGHTER,”(78,939 words) tells the story of JOSEPH MORRIS, the first American Pope, who as he’s about to ascend the papal throne is driven by guilt to confess an indiscretion to traditionalist CARDINAL GUILO ROSELLI. News of the pope’s affair with journalist, SOPHIA TRAVATO, and the birth of the pope’s child, unleashes a crime spree starting with the kidnapping of the baby, Nevaeh.
Twelve years pass, and Sophia, with only vague memories of her past, lives in Venice with the Benedictine nuns. In the small watery city, she’s content believing she was found nearly drowned. Her only bit of freedom is a job with famed mask-maker, LORENZO MERCURI at his small shop at the foot of the Rialto bridge. When a tourist asks Sophia to hold her baby, memories of her daughter begin to flood back. Aware of the danger of rescuing her daughter from the most powerful entity on earth, Sophia puts her trust in Lorenzo who agrees to drive her to Rome.
On the road, Sophia learns Lorenzo’s in the employ of SEVERINO POVERELLI, a Neapolitan thug hired by Cardinal Roselli to keep tabs on Sophia. Sophia escapes and finds her way to Trastevere, the bohemian section of Rome, where she once lived with her motherly, landlady, LAURETTA JENCO. MEANWHILE, Neveah is kept sequestered behind the walls of Vatican City where she’s tutored by the Bibliotheca of the Vatican Archives, CARDINAL ALFONSO ALEO. Neveah, due to her isolated upbringing, is no ordinary twelve-year-old. She’s insightful and wise beyond her years. MEANWHILE, CHRIS DEMARCO, a former colleague of Sophia’s, who initially introduced her to Morris, is in Rome to interview the pope but is mainly in search of answers regarding Sophia’s disappearance.
Pope Joseph and Cardinal Roselli are troubled by him nosing around as he’s aware of the pope’s past. Chris’ research leads him to Lauretta and ultimately to Sophia. Sophia fears the truth will not be believed, but Lauretta relates the story of past papal kidnappings. Lauretta summons her cousin, ALESSANDRO JENCO, an officer of the Ministry of the Interior, to advise Sophia. He informs Sophia the pope is above the law and cannot be convicted of a crime, but vows to find a way to help her. MEANWHILE, the pope turns a blind eye to Cardinal Roselli’s plot to eliminate all threats to the papacy and the church. He unleashes a murderous spree resulting in the death of his administrative assistant, TIM DANIELS, (who set up inner office cameras when he suspected the cardinal’s sinister plans,) the poisoning of Cardinal Aleo, and the murder of several of Alessandro’s men. Before his poisoning, Cardinal Aleo moves Nevaeh to a Zen Monastery on the cusp of Trastevere. Cardinal Aleo is hospitalized. Sophia, during an arranged incognito audience with the pope, confronts him to no avail. Sophia visits Cardinal Aleo where she is reunited with her tentative daughter.
Cardinal Roselli, fearing he will be the papal scapegoat, flees to his native South America where he succumbs to a rare spider bite. The pope believes his position is secure and there is no evidence of his wrongdoing. Chris DeMarco obtained DNA in a recent visit with the pope. He turns it over to the Vatican police before returning to his New York Office. A budding romance between Sophia and Alessandro forced him to give up his fight for her. However, a package waiting in his New York office contains a USB drive with tangible evidence of the plot against Sophia, as well as the details of the pope’s involvement. Chris sets out for Rome to expose the Vatican’s treachery and to get justice for Sophia and Nevaeh. “Vatican Daughter,” is set in Rome and Venice with a brief stop in Magallanes, Chile, and New York City. The sights, sounds, smells, and ambiance of Italy are infused within the story and serve to immerse the reader not only in the plausible, suspenseful plot but in the landscape as well. “The Women of the 13th Rione,” continues the story of Sophia and Nevaeh and is complete at 87,292 words. Both novels can stand alone.
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Author Bio:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR-Joni Marie Iraci
In the 1970s, Joni Iraci worked as a staff and charge R.N. in a northern New Jersey hospital, before moving to New York City where she worked as a night nurse on the breast and bone oncology unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She subsequently made a life-changing career move when she accepted an offer to work as a staff nurse on the EENT (eye, ear, nose, throat) and plastic surgery unit at Lenox Hill Hospital. It was there that she met her husband, who was a surgical intern at that time. They married and relocated to Pittsburgh for one year to do a critical care fellowship. Returning to New York, Joni helped her husband with his surgical practice and raised three children. Once the nest was semi-empty, Joni returned to school to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer.
In 2013, at the age of 60, she earned a BA in liberal studies with a concentration in writing and literature from Sarah Lawrence College; in 2017, she earned an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. She is a fiction writer. After publishing several short stories in literary journals, her debut novel, ”Reinventing Jenna Rose,” was published in May 2019. It has received favorable reviews on Amazon, Kirkus, Goodreads, and Glassworks. It recently won The Firebird Book Award. First place for women’s issues and coming of age and second place for new adult fiction and legal thriller.
She gave a talk to the Rotary Club in Rye, New York in 2016 where she discussed her journey as an adult returning to school and the trials and tribulations of publishing in your later years. She was invited to talk at Shakespeare and Company and The Strand bookstore in New York City. Along with Hollywood Historian and author, Tom Santopietro, she gave an in-conversation talk. All talks are available on YouTube.com or the podcast, SpeakUpTalkRadio.com. She was interviewed on the talk radio show, Briggs on Books by Mike Briggs of CentralValleytalk.com.
She is a retired R.N. who has completed a novella, a sequel to her first book, and a third novel, “Vatican Daughter.” It is currently under contract and available for preorder on Amazon. It will launch on May 1, 2025.
Joni Marie Iraci welcomes emails from readers and is available for speaking engagements be it in relationship to her work or the joys and angst of returning to college in one’s older years. She is a freelance writing tutor available to assist college-bound high school students with research, essay writing, and college applications. References are available upon request. She is a member of the National League of American Pen Women and an active elite member of the Author’s Guild.
Joni is delighted to hear from readers.