Vatican Waltz

The new novel from the award-winning author of Golfing with God and Revere Beach Boulevard is the story of a young Catholic woman jolted from a quietly devout life in Boston by a miraculous call to action.

Cynthia Piantedosi lives a quiet, unassuming life with her elderly father just outside of Boston. When she loses her beloved grandmother as a child, her faith takes a turn for the devout, and she begins experiencing what she describes as "spells"--moments of such intense prayer that she loses herself. Uninterested in boys and a social life, she develops a deep friendship with the parish priest, whose ideas are often seen as too provocative by his congregation but who encourages her to explore her "spells." When he dies in a suspicious hit-and-run accident, the "spells" intensify and their message begins to take shape: God is asking her to be the first female Catholic priest. She reaches out to other unreceptive officials within the Catholic establishment and is met with ridicule. Unable to tune out the divine messages, she leaves behind all that she knows, letting the power of her unswerving faith drive her all the way to the Vatican in pursuit of a destiny she doesn't fully understand--and a turn of events that will rock the Church to its foundation.

AUTHOR'S RELIGIOUS NOVELS HAVE BEEN HIS BEST SELLERS: Merullo's novels that center on religion have been his best sellers, including Breakfast with Buddha (over 100k copies sold) and Golfing with God (40k copies sold).

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR: Merullo is the two-time winner of the Massachusetts Book Award, and his most recent novel, The Talk-Funny Girl, won an Alex Award, given by the ALA for adult books that appeal to teen readers.

IDEAL FOR BOOK CLUBS: Vatican Waltz's provocative premise is sure to inspire some interesting discussions in book clubs, particularly those affiliated with Catholic church groups.