The Dark Society

About the Book

The Dark Society is the third book in the series Father Damien’s War. “Restitution” is the second book in this series which follows after “Sanctuary.” This book continues the life of Father Damien in Florence, Italy after the conclusion of World War II. Father Damien resigns his position with the church after learning the Vatican’s involvement in the escape of war criminals through the rat lines established by Bishop Alois Hudal. Hudal had aided these war refugees in the acquisition of Red Cross Passports to foreign countries including Argentina. John Damien moves from Bergamo, Italy to join forces with Rodolfo Siviero, secret agent of the Servizio Informazioni Militare headquartered in Florence, Italy. Alcide De Gasperi, President of the Council of Ministers expands Rodolfo’s post war involvement in the government by appointing him as Minister Plenipotentiary. Rodolfo accepts his appointment as an endorsement to his calling and immediately seeks to add his American allies to his list of associates which includes Sergeant Wayne Fritzmeyer and Corporal Glen Rothgeb. Rodolfo invites Sergeant Derrick Hodge and Corporal Charles Walker to join him in his newly endorsed mission as Minister Plenipotentiary to locate and acquire stolen art. Both Derrick Hodge and Charles Walker accept their appointments to the Ministry and arrive in Florence to begin their involvement in the hunt for plundered treasures across the globe. John Damien as a member of the Ministry Plenipotentiary desires to expand their role of recovering looted art and artifacts to bringing war criminals to justice. His associates proclaim his intentions as Father Damien’s War.

About the Author

The author was born in Pittsburg, Kansas on July 20, 1948. It is a small town in the south east corner of the state. He joined the United States Air Force in the middle of the Vietnam War era in August of 1966. He served four years in the military acquiring the G.I. Bill for his college education. He attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City where he earned his Bachelor in Business Administration degree and continued on in graduate school. He obtained his Master in Business Administration in May of 1975 and received his Certificate in Public Accounting in June of 1976. The author is the former General Manager for the Board of Public Utilities in Kansas City, Kansas and a former Board Member for the American Public Power Association. He has served on the Board of Western Fuels Association and is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In his last eight years in public service he lived in the United States Territory of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas. He served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Water and Power Authority and as a special financial consultant to the Government of the Virgin Islands. The author began his new career in writing after the death of his wife Deanna in 2004 and now lives in Kansas City, Kansas. Mr. Drake is the father of three children. The first being Terry Christine Drake who lives in Snohomish, Washington with her husband Michael and their two sons Sean and Jacob. His daughter Dresden Marie Drake Goldberg lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband, Stephen Arnold Goldberg and their twin girls Hannah and Harper. Finally, the author’s son Brandon Lee Drake lives in Tampa, Florida just after serving eight years in the United States Navy stationed in Japan.