Why Upon This Rock Is the Perfect Read for the Upcoming Papal Conclave
Why Upon This Rock Is the Perfect Read for the Upcoming Papal Conclave
As the world turns its gaze once again toward the Vatican and the upcoming papal conclave, readers seeking intrigue, history, and a touch of divine mystery will find no better companion than David Eugene Perry’s award-winning mystery thriller, Upon This Rock.
Lauded as “an elegant, twisty thriller” by Armistead Maupin and winner of both the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) Benjamin Franklin Award and the San Francisco Book Festival, Upon This Rock is more than just a suspenseful page-turner. It’s a rich tapestry woven from the threads of Vatican secrets, centuries-old conspiracies, and modern-day reckonings—starring not one, not two, but three popes, including the historical Clement VII and a fictional encounter with Pope Francis himself.
Set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of an Italian hilltown, the novel follows Adriano and Lee, a pair of gay sleuths from San Francisco described by Bay Area Reporter’s Will Snyder as “as sharp as Sam Spade and with the wit of Nick and Nora Charles.” As they unravel a mystery involving art theft, religious relics, and international corruption, the duo finds themselves not only navigating mortal danger but also moral complexity—including a moving scene where they meet Pope Francis, who welcomes them with compassion and the now-famous words: “Who am I to judge?”
This contemporary papal endorsement of love and acceptance grounds the novel in the real spiritual evolution of the Catholic Church, making Upon This Rock especially resonant as cardinals gather to choose the next pontiff. The specter of Clement VII—the pope who famously bungled the political machinations of the Reformation—haunts the narrative, reminding readers that the history of the papacy is as riddled with intrigue, ambition, and missteps as any political throne on Earth.
Packed with “assassins, terrorists, shady priests, human trafficking, and megawatt conspiracies” (Palm Springs Life), Perry’s novel is not only thrilling but timely. In an era where the Church continues to confront its past while shaping its future, Upon This Rockoffers a fictional lens through which to explore very real questions of faith, power, and justice.
Already in screenplay development and now in its second printing, Upon This Rock is poised to become a major cinematic event. But don’t wait for the film—now is the time to read the book that readers and critics alike are calling “fabulous” (Jan Wahl, Emmy Award–winning Hollywood Reporter).
As the world watches the smoke rise above the Sistine Chapel, curl up with a story that blends the eternal and the contemporary in the most compelling of ways.