Italy, 1620.
Angelo is an orphan, lonely and forgotten. Having been passed on from one family to the next, he ends up as a common thief, subject to and under the thumb of a ruthless robber called Tozzo.
Angelo knows no other life and has lost hope that any chance of providence will ever replace his lonely, misfortunate existence. When he loses his master, his livelihood is shaken. Tozzo’s plunder is hidden in a safe place, but what will happen if someone comes after Angelo to get their hands on the stolen relics? More than that, he feels threatened by words he’s heard too many times; that he’ll always remain unforgiven and doomed.
One day, a priest invites Angelo to help with chores around the church and rectory and, in exchange, offers him room and board. Padre Benedetto’s kindness and respect are unfamiliar and confusing, but Angelo’s safety is still a grave concern. Two older robbers have heard rumors about the hidden treasures and will stop at nothing to attain them.
With literary depictions and imagery, Angelo’s story is a gripping and emotional journey of faint hope and truth in seventeenth-century Italy—an artistic and audacious tale that crosses paths with art collector Vincenzo Giustiniani and the powerful Medici family.
A Five Star Read
The Relic Keeper is a character-driven historical story where Angelo, a young orphan, navigates a harsh world under the control of the cruel Tozzo. With the calm, steady guidance of Padre Benedetto and the wonder of new experiences in Rome, Angelo’s journey becomes one of hope, moral growth, and quiet triumph. Eljarbo delivers an engaging, heartfelt read that balances struggle, compassion, and small victories.
• Tender, realistic characters
• Heartfelt and emotionally rich
• Immersive historical atmosphere
• Villainous figures that heighten tension
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