La Condottiera is a murder mystery, featuring a priest accused of a heinous crime, not resolved until the very end of the novel, after many twists and turns of the plot. It takes place amid the horrific suffering of the Romanian people under the Communist occupation. The novel highlights the deep piety of the Romanian people, always looking to the Mother of God, La Condottiera , for succor and protection. Gheorghiu recounts all this with language that reaches the heights of poetry, making the novel a notable work of literature as well as a fascinating read.