Synopses & Reviews
Review
Praise for The Bishop's Man
"The Bishop's Man [is] a sombre evocation of realization and regret in the person of Father MacAskill, the titular bishop's man, as he awakens to the scope of the tragedy and his possible role in it." The Toronto Globe and Mail
Synopsis
Father Duncan MacAskill knows all about temptation, all the devious ways that lonely priests persuade themselves that their private needs trump their vows. His fellow priests call him the Exorcist” behind his back because hes spent most of his priesthood as the bishops clean-up man, sent in to discipline the wayward priests and defuse potential scandal while moderating the emotions of the victims toosomething that has been increasingly wearing away at his sense of justice and calling.
And so, when the bishop hears that a big media scandal may be heading their way and suggests Duncan relocate to duties in a country parish, he is only too willing. The trouble is the parish is very near where Duncan grew up. The long nights in the rectory give him too much time to think about his own turbulent childhood, and to drink, and to think some more.
Hes already teetering when he meets not only a woman he thinks he might love but also a boy who may have been the victim of one of his fellow priestsa priest he was charged with disciplining years ago.
Pushed to the breaking point by loneliness, tragedy, and sudden self-knowledge, Duncan sets out on a course of action that reveals how hidden obsessions and guilty secrets either find their way to the light of understanding, or poison any chance we have for love and spiritual peace.
Synopsis
A priest charged with cleaning up church scandals finds his faith tested in this "engrossing" novel "with the page-turning energy of a thriller" (The Globe and Mail).
Father Duncan MacAskill knows all the devious ways priests allow themselves to indulge their temptations. He's known as the "Exorcist"--an enforcer employed by his bishop to discipline wayward priests and suppress political scandals. He's also called upon to moderate the emotions of the victims--a task that increasingly wears away at his sense of justice and calling. When an impending public controversy arises, Duncan willingly goes to a country parish to avert the scandal. But this new parish is very near to where Duncan grew up and long nights in the rectory give him too much time to drink, and reflect, on his turbulent childhood.
Teetering on loneliness and self-knowledge, Duncan meets a woman he thinks he might love. He also meets a boy who may have been a victim of a fellow priest Duncan was charged with disciplining years ago. As tragedy push him to the breaking point, Duncan discovers how hidden obsessions and guilty secrets either find their way into the light, or poison any chance we have for love and spiritual peace.
Synopsis
Father Duncan MacAskill has spent most of his priesthood as the Exorcist--an enforcer employed by his bishop to discipline wayward priests and suppress potential scandal. He knows all of the devious ways that lonely priests persuade themselves that their needs trump their vows, but he's about to be sorely tested himself.
While sequestered by his bishop in a small rural parish to avoid an impending public controversy, Duncan must confront the consequences of past cover-ups and the suppression of his own human needs. Pushed to the breaking point by loneliness, tragedy, and sudden self-knowledge, Duncan discovers how hidden obsessions and guilty secrets either find their way to the light of understanding or poison any chance we have for love and spiritual peace.