The Pope's Granddaughter

Book excerpt: The nearly nude, decomposing body of a beautiful young woman is found in a Bloomington, Minnesota park preserve area. Indications are that the girl has been raped and strangled while running in the park, but an autopsy and other evidence lead Bloomington police detective Druke to theorize that the killing was a case of mistaken identity, that the rape was staged to mislead investigators, and that the murder may have been committed by a professional killer, who might well still be stalking his real target. Druke also adroitly deduces that the real person who is earmarked for assassination is Druke’s own headstrong daughter, Sydney, who is the victim’s look-a-like. Someone, for some reason, has been killing all members of the Druke biological lineage, of which Sydney is the last. Druke must try to protect Sydney, discover the reason behind the conspiracy, and stop the assassin before Sydney is killed. More murders, clues, action and erotic romance lead or follow Sydney and/or Druke to places like Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania; San Onofre, California; Bloomington’s mega Mall of America; England, France, Germany; and ultimately to Rome and the very private apartments of the Vatican, where the conspiracy finally comes to light.