The Pope's Conspiracy

In the long-awaited sequel to Mr. Weinstein's widely acclaimed first novel, The Heretic ... Benjamin and Esther Catalán have escaped the Inquisition in Spain and are seeking to re-build their lives as Jews and printers in Florence under the protection and patronage of Lorenzo de Medici, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Europe. Their promising future is threatened, however, as they are caught up in a secret plot to murder Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano, with the devious Pope Sixtus IV at the center of the conspiracy. Tension builds as the Pope's plan is put in motion and the Medici family responds. Based on actual historical events, The Pope's Conspiracy offers an enticing view of Renaissance Florence at the peak of its artistic and political glory, and also of the heroic struggles of a talented and ambitious Jewish couple trying to find their place in an often hostile Christian world. The Catalan's skills as printers provide not only their initial link to Lorenzo, but also their standing as a valued part of the small Florentine Jewish community. The technology of Gutenberg's printing press and the organization of a printing business play featured roles in the novel. Readers who loved Benjamin and Esther Catalan in The Heretic will be excited to see their development in The Pope's Conspiracy, as individuals and as a couple.