by Jerry Labriola, M.D.
In an exhilarating new novel, OBJECT OF BETRAYAL (Strong Books; $24.95 hardcover, April, 2012), Dr. Labriola gets off to haunting start with a tragic experience in Viet Nam. Labeled his “secret”, its memory plagues our naval hero, Matt Doyle, for years to come.
Later as a civilian, Matt pens a manuscript that falls into the hands of the Mob, and soon encounters an onslaught of shady characters and unexplained murders. Even a monastery that is governed by a sex-starved woman and financially supported by a Hollywood capo plays a key role in a plot replete with startling twists and unrelenting action. Meanwhile, while attempting to sort things out, Matt carries on a romance with Gloria Stram, the manager of an inn that is eventually burned to the ground. This, too, is viewed as having a connection with the criminal underworld.
What is the secret behind the “secret?” Are there others? Where does Grimski the Giant fit in? Or horse racing? Or the Algarve of Portugal, and the largest cathedral in Latin America?
The suspenseful storyline, punctuated by slices of authentic history, keeps readers hanging on until the novel’s stunning climax.
See the review in the Waterbury Republican-American - review
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