Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor - Available

My Father's House

#1 in series

by Joseph O'Connor
Barry Barnes
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
September 1943: German forces occupy Rome. Gestapo boss Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptmann rules with terror. Hunger is widespread. Rumors fester. The war's outcome is far from certain. Diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners flee for protection into Vatican City; at one fifth of a square mile, it's the world's smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome. A small band of unlikely friends led by a courageous Irish priest is drawn into deadly danger as they seek to help those seeking refuge. A deadly high-stakes battle of wits ensues in this astonishing and unforgettable story of love, faith, and sacrifice that explores what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances. The first book in the Rome Escape Line Trilogy, this powerful, heartbreaking literary thriller is based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, a man who risked his life to smuggle thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of Italy under the nose of his Nazi nemesis.

  • Creators

  • Series

    The Rome Escape Line Trilogy

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 31, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666623604
      • File size: 325229 KB
      • Duration: 11:17:33

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from December 12, 2022
      The riveting latest from O’Connor (Shadowplay), the first in a trilogy, chronicles the meticulous planning and execution of the escape of hundreds of Allied prisoners and Jews hiding in Vatican City during WWII. It’s December 1943 and Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and seven associates who refer to themselves as “the Choir” have exploited the Vatican’s sovereignty as a minuscule neutral state to hide refugees from the Nazi occupation of Rome in numerous abandoned sheds, bombed-out buildings, and tunnels. Though they undertake their work with extreme caution—using aliases and forged IDs, referring to their charges in formal communications as “Books” and the hiding places as “Shelves”—they have aroused the suspicion of brutal Gestapo Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptmann, whose efforts to apprehend the fugitives come to a head early Christmas morning. Through wonderfully developed and varied characters, O’Connor conveys both the painful privations of life during wartime and the nobility of the Choir’s goals, and the unfolding of O’Flaherty’s marathon of undercover subterfuges that lay the groundwork for their mission in the middle section is a storytelling tour de force. This is top-drawer WWII fiction. Agent: Isobel Dixon, Blake Friedmann.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from June 10, 2024

      Irish Book Award winner O'Connor's (Star of the Sea) first entry in the "Rome Escape Line Trilogy" is a thriller of the first order, narrated by a full cast of nine superb narrators. Set in 1943 Vatican City during the German invasion of Rome, the story is based on actual people and events. Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and seven others form a "Choir"--supposedly a musical group, but really an escape line intended to help Jews and Allied POWs escape from the Gestapo. The group employs the most secretive tactics, including aliases, forged IDs, and coded communications, knowing that they could be discovered at any moment. Obersturmbannf�hrer Paul Hauptmann poses the greatest risk to the operation, as he knows of the escape line and is determined to root out the ones in charge. With vibrant characterizations and spot-on accents, the narrators convey the characters' rich backstories, luring listeners into this terrifying and dangerous world. VERDICT O'Connor's latest is a page-turner from start to finish. This riveting listen is a must-purchase and is highly recommended for fans of Mark T. Sullivan's Beneath a Scarlet Sky or the 1983 film The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck as Father O'Flaherty.--Scott DiMarco

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Joseph O'Connor's wonderful thriller is inspired by the true story of the Irish envoy to the Vatican in 1943, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. Narrated in a series of individual monologues by a cast of extraordinary voice actors, this first in a proposed trilogy is emotionally moving and thrilling. With sadistic Obersturmbannfhrer Hauptmann and the Nazis occupying Rome but forbidden to enter Vatican City, the Vatican offers sanctuary and possible escape to POWs, Jews, and others facing death. O'Flaherty and a small group of brave citizens called "the Choir" use codes and clever ruses to smuggle those endangered to safety. The narrators create believable men and women whose selfless actions elevate their ordinary lives. O'Connor's character sketches are stunning, allowing narrators to create full-bodied, completely believable characters. This is superb listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading