Virgin and martyr

Blackie Ryan's cousin, the lovely `black Irish' Cathy has gone missing from her post at a South American convent, where a recent revolution has replaced the regime of a brutal leftist dictator with a democratic government. Ryan and Nick Curran (who has always loved Cathy) go to find out whether she is really dead. Cathy has lived an intense and tragic life, turning down a chance at love in order to fulfill her mother's vicarious dream of a life in holy orders. Cathy was reportedly tortured and murdered by the leftists fighters, who hate Christianity, but Ryan has his doubts: although these same doubts may be no more than wishful thinking that spares him from facing the terrible death of a beloved relative. Meanwhile, an unscrupulous Catholic social leader back in Chicago is capitalizing on Cathy's apparent murder. He is whipping up grassroots support among Chicago's Irish faithful to petition the Vatican to take up the case of Cathy's sainthood, based on her status as virgin and martyr -- though one or both of those titles might be misplaced, as some inside the novel know.