Guest Post: The Cameo Keeper (Tofana #4) by Deborah Swift
- Archaeolibrarian
- Nov 20
- 4 min read
Book details:
Book Title: The Cameo Keeper
Series: Giulia Tofana Series
Author Name: Deborah Swift
Publication Date: 11th November
Publisher: Quire Books
Pages: 370
Genre: Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: n/a
@authordeborahswift @thecoffeepotbookclub
@deborahswiftauthor @thecoffeepotbookclub
Rome 1644: A Novel of Love, Power, and Poison
Remember tonight... for it is the beginning of always ― Dante Alighieri
In the heart of Rome, the conclave is choosing a new Pope, and whoever wins will determine the fate of the Eternal City.
Astrologer Mia and her fiancé Jacopo, a physician at the Santo Spirito Hospital, plan to marry, but the election result is a shock and changes everything..
As Pope Innocent X takes the throne, he brings along his sister-in-law, the formidable Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, known as La Papessa – the female Pope. When Mia is offered a position as her personal astrologer, she and Jacopo find themselves on opposite sides of the most powerful family in Rome.
Mia is determined to protect her mother, Giulia Tofana, a renowned poisoner. But with La Papessa obsessed with bringing Giulia to justice, Mia and Jacopo's love is put to the ultimate test.
As the new dawn of Renaissance medicine emerges, Mia must navigate the dangerous political landscape of Rome while trying to protect her family and her heart. Will she be able to save her mother, or will she lose everything she holds dear?
For fans of "The Borgias" and "The Crown," this gripping tale of love, power, and poison will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
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Modern Parallels: Power, Faith, and Religion in 17th-Century Rome
The interplay between power, faith, and religion has shaped societies throughout history. In 17th-century Rome, the Catholic Church wielded immense influence over both spiritual and everyday affairs. Rome was not only the epicentre of the Catholic faith but also a political powerhouse. The papacy, seated in the Vatican, exerted authority over vast swathes of land and their populations. Not only that but the Church’s reach extended into every aspect of daily life - education, morality, government - making religion inseparable from everything else in life. The Pope, often likened to a monarch, was both a spiritual leader and a political figure, influencing other nations through his alliances, and his own country via patronage.
The Vatican controlled wealth, art, and knowledge, commissioning grand architectural works, affecting the layout of the whole city. When Pope Innocent X was elected, he upset the patriarchy by delegating power to his sister-in-law Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, and this was seen not only as a weakness, but also as a sin against God who had ordained that he should be Pope. Women in those days were regarded as the original sinners – a view that is thankfully largely disregarded today.
In today’s world, the direct fusion of religious and political power is less obvious than it was in 17th-century Rome, particularly in our secular democracies. Modern states such as the UK and the US may separate church and state formally, but religious leaders and institutions still exert influence through advocacy, education, and community leadership. In England the monarch is still considered head of the Church of England. Only this week one of the royal family in the UK was stripped of his titles and role, because his behaviour was deemed morally unfit for someone whose role was to set an example to the nation.
However, globally, there are still countries which maintain close ties with a faith tradition. For example Iran, which intertwines Islamic law with political governance, echoing the religious-political dominance of early modern Rome. The influence of the Vatican can still be felt though in Western contexts, as religious groups continue to debate issues such as abortion,marriage, and education, influencing policy and public opinion even in what are now mostly secular societies.
One of the most striking changes in modern times lies in the diversification of religious thought. In 17th-century Rome, Catholicism was dominant and dissent was suppressed. Today, pluralism is a defining feature of many Western societies, with multiple religions and worldviews encouraged to coexist. The internet has accelerated the exchange of ideas, so that people are more able to question, adapt, or reject traditional beliefs privately before discussing these with others who may or may not share their opinions. Truth in the internet age is a commodity that is shrinking fast as the proliferation of reports means they are hard to verify, and too many opinions lead to a society with less coherence and common identity.
In Rome, the population’s shared Catholic belief was a source of cohesion but also a driver of conflict – this was personified in the suppression of ideas deemed to go against doctrine – ideas such of those of Galileo. The Inquisition was famous for its persecution of dissenters. Today, faith communities provide support and solidarity, but religious differences can also fuel polarisation and conflict.
Both eras reveal the ways in which religious institutions seek power, legitimacy and authority. The papacy’s claims to divine right and moral leadership in Rome find echoes in modern religious movements that assert their authority over, or worse, brainwash, their followers. The parallels remind us that the questions of who holds power, how it is justified, and the role of faith in public life, are as relevant today as they were four centuries ago.
Deborah Swift is the author of twenty novels of historical fiction.
Her Renaissance novel in this series, The Poison Keeper, was recently voted Best Book of the Decade by the Wishing Shelf Readers Award. Her WW2 novel Past Encounters was the winner of the BookViral Millennium Award, and is one of seven books set in the WW2 era.
Deborah lives in the North of England close to the mountains and the sea.
Author Links:
Website: www.deborahswift.com
Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/swiftstory
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/deborahswift1/
Tour hosted by: The Coffee Pot Book Club
Thanks so much for hosting Deborah Swift today, with such a fascinating post linked to her intriguing new novel, The Cameo Keeper. Take care, Cathie xx The Coffee Pot Book Club