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As World War II nears its end and Rome awaits liberation, the Choir must find a fortune in stolen Nazi money before it falls into the hands of their deadliest enemy.
To be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel or as O’Connor’s final, magisterial book about the Rome Escape Line, The City of Echoes is superlative literature, as poetic and atmospheric as anything written about Rome, and a novel of suspense that will take readers’ breath away.
May 1944. In the final days before Rome’s liberation from Nazi occupation, the Eternal City is in turmoil. As German forces prepare to retreat, Resistance fighters, spies, fugitives, collaborators and black marketeers battle for survival in a city gripped by fear, hunger and unbearable heat.
At the heart of the chaos is the Choir, a clandestine network that has smuggled thousands to safety through the Vatican while defying the ruthless Gestapo commander, Paul Hauptmann. But the Escape Line is running out of money, its leadership is fracturing, and time is running short. When a fortune in stolen Nazi money vanishes into the hands of the notorious criminal known as Gesmas, the Choir is drawn into a deadly race across Rome. If the money can be recovered, it might sustain the Resistance in the city’s final frenetic days under Nazi occupation. If not, the consequences could be catastrophic.
With these elements and aided by some of the most vivid characters in any recent work of fiction, Joseph O’Connor has penned a masterpiece of literary suspense and a truly unforgettable portrait of wartime Rome.
Praise for The Ghosts of Rome
Irish Book of the 2025
"What emerges is not just a wartime thriller, though it is that, but a meditation on how we remember, how we resist and how, even in the darkest times, humanity endures."—Alex Preston, New York Times Book Review
"Richly atmospheric and pulsing with excitement, this novel breaks the second-in-a-trilogy "curse." O'Connor's final act can't come soon enough."—Malcolm Forbes, Star Tribune
"Gorgeous prose, unforgettable characters and flawless storytelling combine to produce this triumphant tale about the rare wonder of humans lucky enough to connect and thrive under adversity."—Toronto Star
"O'Connor has crafted a historical suspense novel brimming with unforgettable personalities, illuminating human character and relationships forged in the horrors of war."—Winnipeg Free Press
★ "Pulse-pounding… O'Connor captivates with his vigorous portrayal of wartime Rome."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
★ "A deeply affecting read with an ending that's sad yet life affirming, this is an outstanding choice for fans of WWII fiction and of writers like Anthony Doerr."—Booklist (starred review)
★ "The story is exciting and rich with prose that's a joy to read: An American looks at the night sky and declares, 'The angels ride Harleys. . .. The stars are their headlights coming.' This well researched novel can stand on its own."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Lovers of suspenseful stories, students of WWII history and those who are looking for a novel with relatable characters and a worthy moral framework will surely find this one to their pleasure."—Reading the West
"The judging panel praised it as a beautifully written, thrilling piece of historical fiction, exploring the courage of good people standing up to Fascism, a theme with deep resonance for our times."—Irish Book of the Year
"It was hard to turn pages fast enough to keep up with the rapid-fire pace of The Ghosts of Rome. O'Connor lures readers into a little known, but important, facet of World War II history and keeps them hooked until the very last page."—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian
"There is no finer writer of historical fiction than Joseph O'Connor."—Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond
Praise for My Father's House
"A potent blend of excitement, suspense and intrigue... A gripping World War II-set drama featuring the unlikeliest of heroes, one whom the reader roots for every step of the way... hugely satisfying."—Malcolm Forbes, Washington Post
"My Father's House is primarily—and triumphantly—an intimate drama that illuminates both the fragility and the wonder of unlikely human connections forged in adversity and, in some cases, enduring for a lifetime."—Anna Mundow, Wall Street Journal
"Sometimes a novel's setting looms so large it becomes a crucial element of the plot. That's certainly true of the dangerous streets of World War II Rome, which Joseph O'Connor explores in his historical thriller My Father's House."—Alida Becker, The New York Times Book Review
★ "O'Connor is a masterful storyteller, weaving a violent, terrifying, suspenseful, yet ultimately uplifting story of one man's courage and determination to fight back against Nazi brutality, whatever the risk. Superb!"—Booklist (Starred Review)
★ "Riveting... A storytelling tour de force. This is top-drawer WWII fiction."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
★ "If the story were told in typical thriller style, emphasizing action over language, it would still be good, but O'Connor's phrasings are a special joy... A deeply emotional read."—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
"A riveting tale about the power of community in the face of unfathomable evil... A seamless blend of fact and fiction by a master of the genre; a brisk, polyphonic narrative that brings the heroism of ordinary people thrillingly to life."—Irish Times
"The diverse ventriloquism of O'Connor's novel evokes a city in peril with wonderful vitality."—Financial Times (UK)
"The novel's evocative scene-setting, its propulsive narration and its powerful depiction of bravery and unity in extremis, all make for an engrossing read."—The Telegraph (UK)
"A spectacular, thrilling novel… the novel offers much more than tensely plotted thrills. O'Flaherty's deep and impressively detailed love of Rome is emphasised and handsomely conveyed by O'Connor… My Father's House celebrates triumphant against-the-odds camaraderie. It would require a present-day Puccini to do operatic justice to its tremendous tale."—The Sunday Times (UK)
"This remains a tale worth re-telling, adorned as it is by the brilliance of O'Connor's impressionistic writing."—The Times (UK), A Best New Thriller for January 2023
"There have been many books written and films made about Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, the Kerry-born Vatican priest who rescued thousands of Jews and Allied Prisoners of War during the Second World War. But his latest incarnation, as the hero of this fast-moving novel by Joseph O'Connor, is surely the most memorable… A novel that triumphantly recreates the extraordinary human being that was Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and his colourful co-conspirators."—Irish Examiner
"Superb."—Irish Independent