The Rome Prophecy

The pseudonymous Christer’s plodding sequel to 2012’s The Venice Conspiracy takes ex-priest Tom Shaman to Rome, where he and carabiniere captain Valentina Morassi quickly fall into a steamy relationship while trying to unravel the case of a beautiful woman who shows up covered in blood, carrying an old sword, and claiming to be Cassandra, the ancient prophet of doom. Cassandra turns out to have many other names, as she’s diagnosed with DID (dissociative identity disorder), formerly known as multiple personalities. Readers will struggle to sympathize with a character who ends up having more than a hundred alter egos; the other characters also fail to engage. The plot, which hinges on the worship of the goddess Cybele, never generates much excitement. Even the inclusion of a man-eating lion in the final pages can’t save this one. Agent: Luigi Bonomi, Luigi Bonomi Associates. (Jan.)