According to Amazon, Joseph C. Gioconda spent years as a Roman Catholic seminarian, which preceded his further career development in the secular world. He earned his law degree from the prestigious Yale Law School and is now a trial lawyer. He is a member of the Historical Novel Society. THE POPE'S BUTCHER was his first novel and was a #1 Amazon bestseller the first week after publication. His second novel SALEM'S ROPES was published in October 2021. Mr. Gioconda also published and edited an anthology of short stories called FLEETING CHILLS. Mr. Gioconda is currently working on a fourth novel about Benjamin Franklin's time in London, and a fifth about true ritualistic serial killers in New Orleans.