First published 2010
Olivia Morrow lies dying at eighty-two, clutching letters that could shatter the Catholic Church's plans to canonize Sister Catherine. The nun founded seven hospitals and apparently cured a boy's brain cancer through prayer. But Catherine's letters reveal she bore a child at seventeen and gave him up for adoption. The father was Alex Gannon, who became a famous doctor and inventor. Catherine's granddaughter Monica Farrell works as a pediatrician, unaware she's the rightful heir to the Gannon fortune. Alex's nephews Greg and Peter have been stealing from the family foundation for years. Greg faces criminal charges while Peter may have murdered a woman who was blackmailing him. They know about Olivia's secret and will kill to keep Monica from learning the truth. Olivia must choose between honoring her dead cousin's wishes and giving Monica her birthright. The decision could cost both women their lives.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller, family-drama
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, family-drama, secrets-and-lies, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Catholic Church
Period: 20th-century
319 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: death, murder, sexual-content