The Last Prayer

In June of 1960 an elderly retired Roman Catholic priest is murdered in Beaufort, South Carolina and ten days later a retired detective is murdered in the same manner in Youngstown, Ohio. Tommy Savala, once again, tells us another of his uncle's adventures, as Detective Frank Triano tries to solve the murders of the two men. The story takes us to the Low Country of South Carolina and the mountains of Tennessee as Frank, and the detectives of the Youngstown Police Department try to find the link between the two killings. The story introduces us to three strong women: a Catholic nun that accidently discovers her calling and uses her influence and strength to help young women in need; a young, battered mother that leads herself and her children to meaningful and loving lives; and a dark-haired beautiful businesswoman that touches Frank's emotions as no other ever has. Youngstown is proud and excited to have the Democratic candidate for President, John F. Kennedy, give a major policy speech in the city. The town welcomes JFK with large crowds along his roadway to the event and a magnificent horde of supporters on the city square, where many local, state, and national dignitaries will appear with him on the outdoor dais. As in the first Triano story told be Tommy, our narrator mixes in personal anecdotes of his coming of age as he transitions from the seventh to the eighth grade