Beleaguered Truth (Shattered Triangle Book 2) - Overview

Beleaguered Truth - Book II: The Shattered Triangle Trilogy by William P. Messenger is the continuation of the stories surrounding twin brothers, Giuseppe and Giovanni Lozano, and Detective Tom Moran. It’s a book about family loyalty, political aspirations, secrets, passion, and bloodshed.  The first book was Tom Moran’s story of the beginning of their friendship and the horrible murder of Giuseppe’s wife and children. Beleaguered Truth is told by  Giuseppe Lozano a driven politician who has been elected to the Senate.  The camaraderie that once existed between him and his brother Giovanni has soured. Giovanni who is a priest had accepted hearing a very unsettling confession from his brother Giuseppe. The contents of the confession sickened him. It was hard for him to reconcile that his brother, his twin, was so unconscionable and devious.  Also in this book Author Messenger writes himself into the story as his former self, Fr. Bill Messenger, a priest. He is the director of the Catholic Center at USC and a close friend of Fr.  Giovanni Lozano. 

This book mirrors the events of the Bush administration, and Senator Giuseppe becomes a major player in the Washington scene. He meets with President Bush and realizes his political value to Bush and decides to capitalize on it.

The 9-11 attack occurs and “Beleaguered Truth” weaves the three main characters into the chaos that ensued. Each one will have his own part in combatting terrorists, America’s new insidious enemy.  Junior Senator Lozano is invited into a secretive political clique operating at the highest level that included Vice President Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Elliott Abrams, John Bolton, Michael Ledeen, Scooter Libby, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, Paul Bremer and more of the elite. Giuseppe was thrilled with his inclusion in this group even if some of them appeared to not really trust him.  

The attack on 9/11 gave Det. Tom Moran a new start with his stagnated career. He was offered a job with the newly created Counter Terrorism Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CTCIB).

In another parallel thread, Senator Lozano struggles with his loss and the emptiness he feels since the murder of his wife and children. He is also concerned that he might be gay. He realizes the depth of these feelings when he encounters an old friend of his who is in a gay relationship.  Soon, thereafter, a new murder is introduced into the story which bears a lot of similarities to the murders of the Senator’s family. The new murder provides clues that just might help solve the first murder more completely. Suddenly a lot of events take place in the lives of Giuseppe and Giovanni Lozano, and Detective Tom Moran.  Will the new murder really help solve the Lozano family massacre? Will justice finally be served? Will Senator Lozano come to terms with his sexual proclivities?  William P. Messenger pens another medley of fiction and reality blending them together so tightly that it is often hard to know what is real and what is taken from his imaginary world.  “Beleaguered Truth - Book II,” is a page-turning, complex, disturbingly readable book of incredible ambition and scope.