La Guerra D'Annibale in Italia Da Canne Al Metauro (1891)

The story is set in East Harlem, NYC, circa 1960. It follows a Jesuit priest, Fr. Phil Russo, who has been exiled to his childhood neighborhood from a university setting because of differences with his superiors. Fr. Russo is also a trained clinical psychologist recruited by the New York Archdiocese to work discretely with priests accused of illicit sexual encounters with minors. His character is one of complex polarities, driven by intra-personal struggle, base impulses, and religious doubts. The plot, though fictional in its development, is woven with character types and locations from the author’s experiences growing up in East Harlem. The chain of events begins with an apparent suicide. Murder, abuse, revenge, and betrayal follow during the process of investigating this personal tragedy for Phil Russo and his adopted family. The story culminates in a surprising series of events that tie up loose ends and offer concrete resolution.