I was really interested to hear that one of the analysts I regularly work with, Charles Brett, (currently at Freeform Dynamics and previously with Forrester and Constellation Research) has written his first novel.
I've not had the chance to read it yet but Charles tells me that The HolyPhone Confessional Crisis brings together business, church and technology.
It's launching next week, on Wednesday 3rd September.
The back cover blurb describes it:
“The HolyPhone Confessional Crisis is a technology, crime and church thriller. The Vatican introduces HolyPhones (based on smartphones) into confessionals in Europe and the Americas. These connect those who wish to confess to the Vatican Confessional Call Centre, in part to improve the workload of priests but as much to generate new income for the Church.
"An alliance - of an American lady whose father runs a southern fundamentalist church, an Israeli pro-Settler technology genius, an ex-banker (and past lover of the American lady) now turned priest and a lady member of Opus Dei - conspire, for their own very different reasons, to cream off part of the HolyPhone’s confessional revenues.
"The Brazilian cardinal responsible has suspicions and brings in the half Spanish/half English conceiver of the HolyPhone, an Irish policeman and an Australian lady computer crime expert to find out if there is a problem and, if there is, to try to solve it.
"More than the church’s credibility is at stake.
The novel is set in Rome, Israel and Spain.”
Perhaps more entertaining is Forrester analyst John Rymer’s Amazon review:
“Po Bronson meets Dan Brown ... but with the wit, charm. and international flair that only Charles Brett can bring. This book was a surprise. A very clever plot feeds a fun mystery of financial process, conflicting political and personal agenda, tangled and shifting alliances, and some good Catholic politics and dogma. Toss into the mix a female technology wiz (!), an Israeli villain (or was it that Chicagoian?), an improbable affair (hot!), and the loveable "analyst" we all aspire to be (Davide is just so cool), and this was one fun read. Next time, Mr. Brett, add a murder if you please. Please give us the sequel! Davide must "ride again."”
The book is now available on Amazon (paperback and for Kindle), iTunes Store and Google Play: it can be found by searching for ‘HolyPhone’.
More information is also available at www.holyphone.net or follow on Twitter at: #HolyPhone
