A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I

In the story of his authorized investigation of the sudden death of Pope John Paul I in September 1978, Cornwell, an award-winning crime writer ( Earth to Earth ) and former editor at the London Observer , may not reach his goal of conclusive proof, but he does produce an entertaining work about the hunt for possible perpetrators. Encouraged by Vatican sources eager to set at rest a decade's allegations of conspiracy, Cornwell uses his considerable talents and connections to establish that neglect, rather than murder, caused the Pope's death--exonerating in the process the American-born prelate Marcinkus, head of the Vatican Bank, of alleged involvement. With meticulous record-keeping and dogged tracking, Cornwell takes us into the labyrinthine, byzantine society of Vatican City, piecing together a sad and compelling story. Photos not seen by PW. Major ad/promo. (Oct.)