St. Agatha's Breast

by T.C. Van Adler

A neglected abbey near the Vatican provides the atmospheric setting for a mystery involving the theft of old paintings, a recovered painting that may be a lost Poussin masterpiece, and long-suppressed secret that someone will commit murder to protect.

Genres: Gay, Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the best late 20th century "soft-core-porn-murder-mystery-art theft-religious-conspiracy-thriller" I've ever read. That is, unless someone can point out another one to me. In which case, Yes Please! I've definitely learned some new... well, just some new stuff.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The inside of the back jacket of this book describes the author, T.C.Van Adler,as "very experienced in both the worlds of art and the Church. Van Adler is a pseudonym."

This seems terribly fitting for a book, which although seemingly over the top, resonates so perfectly with me who is an art lover and also experienced in the ways of the Church. Murder, corruption, conspiracy, sex, art...the Church just the way I experienced it!!!

This is a darkly fun read...a modern Gothic romp of the most scandalous unimaginable and exaggerated tone but somehow so true and close to the bone.
I just wish I'd written it myself!!!

And I am NOT T.C. Van Adler...

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder and mayhem stalk the randy monks of the abbey of San Redempto. There's a whole lot of Machiavellian plotting going on in this original, and fairly amusing, tale of the disappearance of a set of paintings, possibly by Poussin, from the monastery.

Will Brother Brocard outsmart the villainous Brother Otger? Will the transsexual art historian Zlinka get his/her way? How does Brother Bertie end up servicing the porn site ItalStud.com? Do they have any proofreaders at all at St Martin's Press/Alyson Books?

The answer to that last question is evidently a resounding "no" - plazas 'team' with activity, the bad guys give 'free reign' to their evil instincts, until they end up getting their 'just desserts'. But if you're willing to overlook these minor irritants, this isn't a bad little whodunit.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thoroughly enjoyed it...similar territory to the name of the rose but told with much more humor,humility, knowledge, carnality and morality. it took me some effort to get the characters straight but there are a lot of monks to keep straight...or not....
well written and well ended. a small celebration of life and love and Love.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A veritable black comedy of murky goings-on in a modern day monastery in Rome.
Needed better proof readers.

[Holly Troup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mordant in wit, operatic in its intensities, ST AGATHA'S BREAST is a compelling story of Byzantine intrigues, greed, ambition, theft, and murder.