by J. F. Powers
First published 1986
Father Burner returns, still angling to replace the elderly Father Malt in the parish hierarchy. The ambitious priest navigates the petty politics and daily routines of clerical life, while Father Malt's observant cat Fritz witnesses the human comedy from his unique vantage point. When the overeager curate Father Fabre becomes entangled with a woman of questionable reputation, his seemingly indifferent pastor must intervene to save him. The pastor, who appears to care only for his collection of games and gadgets, reveals unexpected depths when crisis strikes. Meanwhile, Father Firman manages his own domestic arrangements with his housekeeper. In the standout story "Blue Island," a solitary newcomer falls victim to a scheme involving house parties that sell household goods, exposing the small cruelties people inflict on the lonely. These interconnected tales reveal how grand ambitions and human weaknesses play out in the confined world of parish life.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, christian-fiction, domestic-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, comedy, catholic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, small-town
Setting: Parish
Period: 20th-century
208 pages · Paperback · The Hogarth Press