Horizons has just published a new novel titled Ix-Xirka tal-Beati Paoli or the Society of the Beati Paoli. It has been written by Salv Sammut, who needs no introduction among Maltese readers. The Maltese Semitic word Xirka stands for the English word Association or Society. The expression Beati Paoli is derived from the Latin religious expression Baetae Paoli, standing for the first words of an old antiphon in honour of St Paul. Therefore, its origin means, The Blessed Paul. As one starts reading the novel, one learns that this reference is to an old underground association that sought social and legal justice in Sicily at a time when institutional corruption was the order of the day.  

Yet, in every day parlance, this phrase has taken a new meaning. It stands for something tremendous or big. At least, in my childhood days, the expression Beati Paoli was used to denote somebody who had been severely reprimanded and punished or even beaten. The expression in Maltese is qala' xeba tal-Beate Paoli. The Association of the Blessed Paul stands for a local criminal organisation that was set up to fight back and seek revenge.

The theme of this novel is very factual and actual. One may state that, as a literary theme, this has already been developed by Dan Brown. His books The da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons in some way touch on the themes that are the subject of Sammut's book; moral corruption within the Catholic Church. The Maltese novel too departs from a theme that is still actual in the Catholic Church: the abuse committed by priests on children who had been entrusted to their care. There have been convictions in Malta on this crime. I don't know whether this is the irony of life or not, but the book was presented to the public in the same institution where these abuses took place a long time ago. In truth, this is a literary excuse, as this novel is not a discussion on paedophiles nor is it a book about abuse by the clergy. Nor has it plagiarist Brown's work. It is a detective story that stands on its own. For Sammut, abuse is the starting point on which he builds an intriguing thriller that keeps you reading till the end. I have to admit that I found it a brilliant work. Without any hesitation, I would add that it is one of the best thrillers I have read in Maltese.

Perhaps, on reading the book's blurb, one may be misled to think of Dan Brown, yet when one continues reading on, Agatha Christie comes to mind. I can assure the reader that like an Agatha Christie tale, one does not have a clue to the identity of the murder and like in the best thrillers when one believes he has identified the villain one is in for a big surprise.   

Sammut does not need any introduction to the Maltese reader. He has a sharp pen and his writing is impeccable. He develops the plot and the subplot ably fusing them into one, keeping you riveted.  I will not discuss the plot nor the subplots. I will leave it to the reader's curiosity. But as a historian and a social commentator, I cannot fail to note one important aspect. The work  differs from other thrillers on similar  themes because Ix-Xirka carries a social message. A trade unionist by profession, Sammut was president of the General Workers Union. This for me is an important detail. No author writes in a vacuum, for invariably he carries within his personal experiences and these will somehow influence and resurface in his writings. Rural Malta of Sammut's early childhood is grippingly present in this book together with industrial Malta, represented by the Three Cities.

In this work, Sammut's trade unionism and militarism finds echoes of these aspects of life. Perhaps, today this may be an anachronism but it is not. The author intentionally wishes to discuss his views on important social themes. Some of the themes discussed have now been superseded. Others, such as paedophilia have been dominating the news for a number of years now; abuse of minors by those who were appointed to look after them is a serious crime. Yet Sammut wants also to analysis the characters and the motives of the perpetrators. They too are human beings. They too deserve to be judged equitably and not through the circus of social media. Then, there is another aspect that deserves mention. Sammut's book offers snippets about the history of Maltese sexuality as it unfolds post World War II. This is an aspect of our history that has never been properly studied. The vividness with which he recounts certain sexual scenes reveals a hidden world that, until recently, was only discussed and told in private. Therefore, it has always been extremely difficult for researchers to analyse this topic.

Sammut is aware of his intense language and animated sexual descriptions that make the reader feel a peeping tom, inadvertently ending up seeing things that he should not be seeing; from macabre sexual murders to acts of pure sexual love between teenagers. For this reason, the publisher and author have printed a disclaimer on the cover of the book ‒ "It should be read only by those who are 18 or over", on my part, I fail to understand this disclaimer.  

First of all, sex is a biological function. It starts far before 18 and this comes out very well in the thriller. Secondly, those who have not yet reached puberty, the age varies here, will not on average find this book interesting. This is a biological factor, even if, according to Sammut, boys at the age of seven already start asking questions about their sexuality. Asking questions is one thing, however being mature is another. And we also know there are many adults, who are hopelessly immature. Therefore, the disclaimer is the only jarring note in this publication. 

Indeed, there is also a pedagogical point to consider. Children below this age would not have reached the acquired sophisticated prowess required for this type of book. If they have already reached it, then that is a sign of maturity. Thus, in my opinion, they should be encouraged to read it! Definitely, this is a good literary, work and good literary works should not be subject to any form of censorship, irrespective whether it is mild or not. This goes beyond the subject discussed. As correctly stated by Michel Foucault, the father of the history of modern sexuality, we need to distance ourselves from the age of the Victorians.  

This work is a good thriller, written in good and flowing Maltese. Once one starts reading it, one will continue reading it till the end. Those who love to read novels in Maltese should not miss it.