A continuation and elaboration upon O’Connor’s “My Father’s House” set in Rome during the Nazi occupation close to the end of World War II, this gripping story recounts actual occurrences fictionalized for dramatic effect but resonating with truth. Certain characters reflect real people and their true exploits. The conceit of switching from real-time narration to recordings and written accounts taken at later dates adds to the verisimilitude.

The ability to engage the reader in such a way that the willing suspension of disbelief comes as a natural consequence is, for a voracious reader, exquisite pleasure. O’Connor is clearly a master of creating the “can’t put it down” type of story added to which historical facts paint a vivid picture. Dialogue, scenery, action all contribute their parts to provide a swiftly moving and highly detailed picture of a dark time and desperate deeds.

A clandestine group inside the Vatican formed to aid death camp and military prison escapees finds a variety of ways to hide and move and to ultimately escape the country altogether. Using diplomats and their wives, Roman citizens sympathetic to the cause and some hard core ex-prisoners who hate the Nazis as assets, they call themselves “The Choir” and do, in fact, engage in some choral efforts but mostly as a cover to foil hidden listening devices placed by the diabolical commandant of the city who thinks of himself as a refined and sensitive human but is in fact a monster.

Details of the city and its occupation along with the dedicated resistance of the Italians to oppression and brutality are taken from the reality of this late WWII tale. The Allies are approaching, haven taken Sicily as a prelude to reconquering the country which makes the Germans react in even more savage ways, putting everyone at additional risk. They intend to leave nothing behind, to the extent that they will execute anyone who might be able to prove their evil machinations. The tension is palpable.

Lovers of suspenseful stories, students of WWII history and those who are looking for a novel with relatable characters and a worthy moral framework will surely find this one to their pleasure.