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In A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I, John Cornwell recounts his investigation into the death of Pope John Paul I, who served as Pope for a mere 33 days in 1978. At the time of his death, contradictory reports led to rumors that the Pope had been murdered. At the urging of the Vatican, Cornwell attempts to set the record straight.

Cornwell recounts numerous interviews with those close to the Pope at the time of his death. Accounts contradict one another. Facts come in and out of focus. No one seems to be telling the entire truth. Cornwell is given special dispensation to conduct his investigation, but it’s clear that many doors are still closed to him.

In the end, A Thief in the Night becomes as twisted and convoluted as the facts in the case. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of the players, especially as Cornwell veers into a secondary investigation into multiple scandals involving the Vatican Bank. As the reader turns the last few pages, it is clear that much about Pope John Paul I’s last days will remain unclear.

Where Cornwell is successful is in painting a picture of the Vatican as a place where rumors are invaluable currency, egos are stroked and rebuffed in equal measure, and any number of tactics are used to ensure that the Catholic Church is seen in a good light. It’s this world into which John Paul I enters, unprepared for the task at hand. Based on Cornwell’s findings, it is obvious that John Paul I was likely not murdered. It’s just as clear that he was not qualified to be Pope, and that the Vatican fell down on the job of ensuring his success and his health.

A Thief in the Night: The Mysterious Death of Pope John Paul I was read as part of the 2015 Reading Challenge.
Category: A Book Based On A True Story