345 pages

4 stars

In spite of the fact that there are some dark moments in this book, for the most part it is a forward-looking and hopeful novel.

A young mother abandons her identical twin boy babies on the doorstep of a rectory.

So begins a tale of unconditional love, drama, spiritual awakening and faith. This is an uplifting novel and I certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys such. It discusses an unconventional family dynamic, relationships and how it all works to produce some fine young men.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions provided in this review are solely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sal Tocco, and the publisher for this ARC of The Cardinal and the Crook in exchange for an honest review! This was a pretty good book! I believe it is a debut novel and I'm pretty impressed! I found myself emotionally invested in very early on! This book beautifully jumps through time to tell a full story of family and love and humanity. I was worried that the format might be confusing or convoluted, but I found it to be wonderfully executed.

The opening chapter was a strong one that had me hooked right away! I don't think there is a point where my attention waned. Sal Tocco was able to get me connected to his characters very quickly and I found myself not wanting to put this book down. I think The Cardinal and the Crook can be read in one night, but it is also broken up into parts that make it easy to read in segments if that suits you more. It's not a short book, but it never drags which I find makes for a solid evening (or several evenings) read as one winds down for the night.

I appreciate how this book depicted things as small scale as the pain of loss to some bigger issues in the world. That was all well-done. I also loved the strength shown, as well as the kindness. There's not enough books that can show all these concepts in a way that admirably serves the story.

I would probably say this book is a 4.5 that I personally would round up to a 5. The Cardinal and the Crook is a very reflective book, which I enjoyed, but I could see someone wishing for more action depicted rather than described/experienced. That being said, if you've read the description and think you're interested, I definitely think it's worth the read. I found it to be a very well-crafted narrative! Sal Tocco did an excellent job with this book and I'd absolutely love to see him write another novel.

Twin brothers raised in a parish with two different life choices.

Twin brothers, James and John, are left on the door step of a parish when they were infants on a cold stormy night. As they grow up, they begin to develop different interest. John is drawn to the priesthood and takes the necessary steps to climb the ranks. James is drawn to worldly possessions and becomes part of a crime family. Many years later, their mother returns to explain her decision and create a bond with her sons.

I enjoyed Sal Tocco's cleverly written book as the ending will surprise readers as it did me. The author takes readers through time as the boys grow up with easy to read chapters. Veronica's story was my favorite as it explores love and heartbreak which leads to her decision to give up her twin boys. I highly recommend this book for its captivating read and surprise ending.

#NetGalley #TheCardinalandTheCrook
THE CARDINAL AND THE CROOK: A gritty thriller with a whole lot of heart.
I like it when faithful people have the gumption to write a story that explores a darker side of the world, and that's why this book appealed to me, and why I'm so glad I read it. THE CARDINAL AND THE CROOK tells the story of two brothers, James and John, who were left at the doorstep of an orphanage by their mother. James, ensnared by the temptations of worldly wealth and prestige, ends up leading a life of crime. John, however, follows the calling of priesthood. And this journey takes them both to places they need to be in to grow. Loved being there every step of the way, loved the harmonious blend of grit and Grace, loved how complex the motivations were. A truly heartfelt thriller. Ten out of five!

The Cardinal and the Crook was a truly gutsy and captivating thriller with a whole lot of heart in it! I really, really enjoyed the pacing of this one and the boldness to write about something so sensitive in such a careful and captivating way. The juxtaposition of one brother choosing the church and the other a life of crime was so interesting and original—I haven't read a thriller like this in my life. I find it somewhat difficult to talk about all the things I loved without spoiling it, but I cannot recommend this enough!

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing an ARC!