Title: The Vacant Seat
Author: C.J. TOCA
Publisher: Saddle Ridge Publications LCC
ISBN: 979-8986899626
eBook ISBN: 979-8986899633
Genre: Thriller, Romance, Mystery, Suspense
Availability: Paperback or eBook
Language: English
Paperback: 264 pages
Item Weight: 13.8 ounces
Dimensions:
6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
Review:
What do you get when you have a first-time journalist, the Duke of Radcliffe, the head of Directorate KR, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the 1978 death of the Pope? You get the religious and politically intriguing tale in C.J. Toca’s The Vacant Seat.
The story begins with the story’s heroine, Stefania DiMaggio, a newly hired journalist for The Journal, who is tasked with reviewing materials from 1918 regarding the pope’s efforts to resolve the First World War and the peace process leading to the war’s conclusion by her boss, Rodolfo D’Agostino.
However, due to a mistake in filing by the Vatican, Stefania finds herself staring at the materials regarding the documents regarding the 1978 pontificate, or the shortest pontificate due to the unexpected death of the Pope of that time.
Looking to turn a mistake into an opportunity, Stefania decides to capitalize on learning more about the month-long papacy.
Once her investigation is completed, she finds herself meeting the man who would unknowingly set her down on a dangerous quest for the truth in Thomas Houghton, who is not only the wealthy Duke of Radcliffe, he is also the nephew of Sister Josephine, a retired nun who was one of the attendants of the mysterious pope.
Meanwhile, Svetlana Greschenko, the newest head of Directorate KR is tasked with guarding the mysterious deactivated operation known as “Operation Archangel” that her mentor, Vasily not only conceived but also solely helmed until his untimely death.
The Vacant Seat is a prequel to C.J. Toca’s The Secret Heir, and with that, some of the familiar world-building, character interactions, heart-pounding action set pieces, and religious lore are still there and again, are the highlights of this novel.
Everyone feels alive in this world, with their complexities and personalities, both good and bad, that often puts them at odds with each other. For example, the budding romance between Stefania and Thomas.
While the two have a lot in common with enough differences to entice one another, the two start at odds due to religion, with the non-religious Stefania and the staunchly devout catholic in Thomas.
And even as their relationship deepens, this aspect between the two dangles over their heads like a pendulum, which does cause them to get into troubling situations, not only with each other but with Thomas’ grandmother, the dowager Duchess, Elizabeth.
We also have the character of Svetlana Greschenko. Greschenko is a stylish, hard-working, ambitious, and capable woman with an Olympic-level physic that is deeply in tune with who she is.
However, her ambitious nature, her lack of attachments, and rumors of her sexuality have many waiting for the opportunity to see her fall, leaving Greschenko willing to do all she can to keep herself out of the crosshairs of her enemies, both known and unknown.
None of the characters, both main and side, ever feel one-note or bland, no matter the length of their appearance. Each character brings their personality into the mix to add to the life this novel has, which is a hard thing to deliver but this author manages to do this with success.
Another thing that makes this story stand out is the topic of faith. As stated previously, Stefania is a non-religious person at the start of this novel, to the point of thinking that religion is “Mumbo Jumbo” in her words.
However, throughout the story, we see Stefania start to make a connection with faith. It starts with little moments, from speaking to Sister Josephine to experiencing the recessional hymn, but eventually, it solidifies into something strong and it’s all tastefully done.
As with its sequel, The Vacant Seat is a very well-done novel that mystery, action, and romance lovers will enjoy and is a worthy addition to any physical or digital bookcase and it earns a high recommendation from me. ★★★★★ – Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)