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Polygon is to release a new historical novel by two Italian authors whose last novel was taken off the shelves in their native country. Secretum by Rita Monaldi and Francesco Sorti will be published in hardback on 7th May priced at £16.99. The book is the sequel to Imprimatur, which was previously released in the UK in hardback and will now be published in paperback on 2nd April, with an r.r.p. of £9.99.
Despite becoming a European bestseller, Imprimatur was removed from the shelves in Italy after allegations that the text was critical of the Vatican. The authors found documents which suggested that Protestant hero William of Orange was receiving huge sums of money from Rome.
Italian publisher Mondadori declined to do another print run after the book’s original release in 2002.
Imprimatur "created a stir", said Jan Rutherford, publicity and marketing director of Polygon, but she said that the UK publisher was "hugely impressed" with the books when they came through.
Both titles are set in Rome in the late 17th and early 18th century. They detail the story of Atto Melani, an Italian castrato and spy at the court of King Louis XIV of France. Rutherford said that the books have "huge historical detail" and that they have been "meticulously researched" by the authors.
Monaldi is an expert in religious history and her husband Sorti is a musicologist. Imprimatur has already been translated into 20 languages, with editions published in 45 countries. Secretum will be a key title for Polygon this year and will have national press coverage and feature on BBC Radio 4.