Translated by Judith Landry
Set in a not-too-distant future, and moving between Rome and Amsterdam, God’s Dog is a detective novel unlike any you have read before.
It is the eve of Pope Benedict XVIII’s canonisation and Domingo Salazar, a Haitian orphan and now a Vatican secret agent, is hellbent on defeating the Angels of Death, pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia dissidents who are undermining the Pope’s authority.
But as Salazar closes in on the cell he finds his life turned upside down. Suddenly it is Salazar and his closest friend Guntur who are under suspicion of sabotaging the administration. Their concept for a globalised religion called Bible-Koranism has upset the Church and they are in grave danger, as is Guntur’s infamous Swahili-speaking chimpanzee Django.
God’s Dog is a spoof on the absurdities of institutionalised religion that will delight aficionados of thrillers and detective novels as well as fans of Diego Marani.
andGod’s Dog
‘God’s Dog is a rare kind of literary detective novel: thrilling, hard-boiled and action-packed, with beautiful imagery and compelling insights into religion, science and philosophy.’
‘Marani’s novel is as disturbing and absurd as it is funny and touching. An enlightening read.’
‘Think Inquisition meets James Bond written by someone like Phillip K Dick of Blade Runner fame…It’s very readable and highly enjoyable quirkiness. But its genius lies in not looking at all quirky.’
‘Absurdist and intriguing, this Catholic noir reads like Inquisition redux.’
‘It’s a whirlwind of a premise that, in its audacity and its absurdity, a mashup of counter-Reformation intrigue, hardboiled detective novel and near-future theocratic dystopia, is as refreshing as it is seductive.’
‘Marani has created an unusual mystery set in a dark and weird dystopian world, with a slightly terrifying sleuth at its heart.’
‘A detective story of gripping speculation. Marani may have a mind of unusual refinement and intellectual curiosity, but, like Raymond Chandler, he’s not above having a man come through the door with a gun in his hand if he thinks it will move things along…’
