Journalist and author signs ‘Hide and Seek’ in Good Book shop
Author, journalist and political reporter for BBI NI, Stephen Walker, was in The Good Book Shop recently to sign copies of his new book ‘Hide and Seek.’
The book tells the remarkable true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and the deadly game of cat–and–mouse he played with Colonel Herbert Kappler– the head of Rome’s Gestapo during the Second World War.
In the book, Stephen, who is a parishioner of Bangor Abbey, chronicles the intimate and intensely personal war between them. A fiercely fought rivalry that would culminate in failed attempts by Kappler to kidnap and then murder his Irish opponent.
Dubbed ‘Ireland’s Oscar Schindler’, Monsignor O’Flaherty masterminded a large–scale operation from within the Vatican, to help Jews and escaped Allied prisoners on the run from the Nazis. He used a series of safe houses and church buildings and sheltered around 500 Jews in the Holy See, and it is believed that sanctuary was found for some 4000 Jews across Rome, and 4000 Allied escapees. In later life, after much soul–searching, Kappler became a Catholic, and was baptised by the Irish Monsignor.
Hide and seek is published by Collins, and is available from The Good Book Shop, priced £7.99.