The Shepherd's Calculus

by C.S. Farrelly

When journalist Peter Merrick is asked to write a eulogy for his mentor, Jesuit priest James Ingram, his biggest concern is doing right by the man. But when his routine research reveals disturbing ties to cases of abuse and clues to a shadowy deal that trades justice for power, everything he believed about his friend is called into question. With the US presidential election looming, incumbent Arthur Wyncott is quickly losing ground among religious voters. Meanwhile, Owen Feeney, head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, is facing nearly a billion dollars in payments to victims of sex abuse. When Feeney hits on a solution to both men’s problems, it seems the stars have aligned. That is until Ally Larkin—Wyncott’s brilliant campaign aide—starts to piece together the shocking details. As the election draws closer and the stakes get higher, each choice becomes a calculation: Your faith, or your church? Your principles, or your candidate? The person you most respect, or the truth that could destroy their legacy? When the line between right and wrong is blurred, how do you act, and whom do you save?

Genres: Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

As many of you know, I'm a sucker for a political thriller. So when I read the synopsis for THE SHEPHERD'S CALCULUS by C.S. Farrelly, I was instantly intrigued. Normally I'm not a huge fan of religion being tied into books, but this one had a great balance as politics and religion become intertwined.

When Peter Merrick discovers his mentor has passed away, he is asked to write the eulogy for James Ingram - a Jesuit Priest. While he is already struggling with his faith, he begins to uncover mysterious things the Church has done - including ties to abuse and questionable dealings - and he is determined to get to the bottom of it. His digging brings him to discovering that there is a massive political tie to the current Presidential election.

Incumbent Arthur Wyncott is losing ground amount the religious voters and needs to find a way to turn that around. The head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Owen Feeney, finds himself facing close to a billion dollars in payments that need to be distributed to victims of sexual abuse, but when he finds a solution, it could also fix Wyncott's problems. Meanwhile, Wyncott's campaign aide, Ally Larkin, begins to put the pieces together about what is really going on. "As the election draws closer and the stakes get higher, each choice becomes a calculation"

I loved the characters. They were well-developed and complex, especially considering this was a shorter novel (average for a thriller). I enjoyed the internal and moral debates/struggles of if you should trust your faith or your candidates/people of the Church. Farrelly does a great job of blurring that line between right and wrong for these characters. It was fun being brought to Wisconsin for some of the novel, I'm from Minnesota and have traveled through where Farrelly was describing!

Overall, if you want a very well-written and fast paced political thriller, then don't hesitate to pick this one up! The ending was satisfying and tied everything together and the characters were believable. Both good and bad were just people acting on what they thought was right, or what would benefit them. It was an enjoyable read and I will be looking for more from C.S. Farrelly.

I give this a solid 4/5 stars!

[Kimberly Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The truly terrifying thing about evil isn’t that it exists, Peter,” Ingram had said. “It’s that it manages to coexist with good in the places we least expect it. And always has.”

C.S. Farrelly uses the first half of The Shepherd’s Calculus to slowly build her characters and their individual plot lines. With their varied ages and experiences, it was difficult at times to follow their individual histories and how they came to be involved in this mystery. It’s just past the halfway point where she starts weaving them together into a compelling story exposing how one individual can profoundly impact so many people, perhaps even an entire country. I promise, your patience in the early chapters will be rewarded!

I expected more drama and intrigue, but the subject matter really does provide enough of that on its own without the need for more. Child molestation is a heavy subject. Though this book is fiction, Farrelly did an admirable job developing the characters for the children in an authentic and believable way, showing respect to real life victims and their traumatic experiences. I think with a subject like this, it would be easy to portray the priests who committed these crimes as caricatures of evil, but I think she captured them perfectly as the evil hiding in plain sight.

The Shepherd’s Calculus is a compelling examination of where religion and politics intersect. Or collide. Depends on your viewpoint. This isn’t a mystery that will keep you guessing, you’ll know where it’s going early on in your reading. But it does keep you turning the pages to see how it all comes together and to make sure justice is served.

And the plot is so real, it reads like tomorrow’s headlines. Scary indeed.

*This review was first published at lazydaybooks.com. I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel's plot could be tomorrow's headlines. A presidential candidate so desperate to get elected illegal alliances are formed. A church so desperate to retain its economic power it skirts the law. Farrelly does a good job of exploring the relationship between church and state and the possible abuse of power by then both.

The book got off to a confusing start for me as characters in a contemporary scene filled in background material with memories. A character might be in a meeting remembering a previous meeting. Setting up the plot in this way hard for me to follow. A little over halfway through the book, however, once the groundwork had all been laid, I found the rest of novel a compelling read.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Cynthia Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corruption, scandals and cover ups.

Ms. Farrelly takes you to the heart of Washington DC and gives you an insiders view of how greed leads this Country. Politicians striking deals with religious leaders, molestation cases being overlooked and all the while, more money is being dumped into the mega churches of Catholic religion around the globe.

THE SHEPHERD'S CALCULUS is an awakening novel that weaves fiction around current events and shows just how much power We the People give this Nation. Very well written although probably not for readers who still have the wool pulled over their eyes when it comes to politics and religion.

[Margaret Tidwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Partners in Crime in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Shepherd’s Calculus by C.S. Farrelly was a book that I am sure I would have loved if I was sick of politics right now. I am going read this book in a couple of years to see if my views change because I had a tough time staying interested in this book because of the politics that happen in the book. I would always end up bored during those parts of the book and it made me not want to finish this book. It did have pieces that kept me interested but then they would talk about politics and would lose all interested again. I wasn’t able to figure out what was going to happen while I was reading the book, so that was a great thing. All in all I enjoyed the authors writing and I did like most of the characters so if you love thriller type books than you should give this one a shot because I know there are people who would love this book. Like I said before I think it is one that I would love if things in the world were different.

[Cheryl Masciarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there really a separation of Church and State? It’s in the Constitution but when power is abused by those in high standing, is it respected? And to what ends will those in power use it for their own personal gains? And for those that aren’t, what will they choose?

This is the first book I have read by this author and I was quite impressed with her writing style. It kept my interest throughout the entire book. The research was exceptional. The characters believable.

I will be watching for more work by Ms. Farrelly.

A very compelling and convincing read!

[Liah Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of names to keep track on in the beginning, but if you keep at it the book will "drag you in" and you will not put it down. If you don't like to read about the power game between the politics and the church in America, this might not be the book for you, but thrown in there is also underlying superstitions about sexual abuse and bribes to keep people silent. Generally a good read!

[Xray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yash

Farrelly is a writer whose career has spanned investment banking, government and international relations, and higher education. Her stage plays have been produced in New York City. The Shepherd’s Calculus is her first novel. She

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her debut novel, The Shepherd's Calculus, author C.S. Farrelly weaves a compelling political thriller that delves into the intriguing intersection of politics and religion. It is a multi-layered tale that masterfully interweaves how power and money influence political and religious choices and decisions. Mix in deception, hidden agendas and dark secrets, political posturing, Church corruption, and the sobering child sexual abuse cases by priests, and you have an intriguing tale about a tangled and devious web created by political players and church leaders to each get what they want at any cost.

As a fan of political thrillers, I was fascinated by the author's interweaving of politics and religion. I was intrigued by the variety of cut-throat political campaign strategies utilized to get the votes in their candidate's favor. As a Catholic, I thought that the author's examination of the Catholic Church's history of maintaining silence in regard to the traumatically scandalous child sexual abuse cases by priests until it was brought to light by the unified voices of the survivors, and how the Church continued to cover it up in an attempt to avoid the serious propensity and monetary backlash, was very sobering, disturbing, and thought-provoking.

The Sheperd's Calculus is a well-written and compelling political thriller. It has realistic characters, and a believable political and religious opportunistic pairing with enough drama and intriguing plot twists that will keep the reader engaged and turning the pages until the surprising conclusion.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author/publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Anisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows several characters during an election campaign.
We meet members of the campaign teams, journalists and a bishop.
Each person has their history, their goals, and ambitions, their personal issues, their doubts, their beliefs.
Somehow, they all end up intertwined.
A journalist writing about his friend, and mentor, ends up uncovering files that lead him into an investigation about child molestation allegations. While he starts the investigation with the wrong idea, what he discovers will lead him to discredit not only the church but also an election campaign.

We get religion and politics all wrapped up with sexual abuse claims, tax reduction, and promoting a candidate during the sermons.
Bishops running churches as a business, caring about the image and the revenue more than about the children and families.
As the story develops, we see the different attitudes the characters have, and how that influences the next events. How one person's wrongdoings affect not only himself but the image and life of others.

The story seems so real as if it could happen tomorrow. The intrigue, the lies, the secrets, and the corruption are present both in religious and political contexts. There were some parts of this book that disgusted me: the way humans can hurt others just to make themselves look good; how damaging it is for a child to feel so unloved that when he is molested, he welcomes the attention and the love; the ability to prey on the weak.

The book also touches on how events can make us doubt our religion and our beliefs. That a religious person may not know how to deal with the fact that the church is corrupt. How that may change their whole perspective on what it means to be religious. How sometimes you have to doubt everything and make hard decisions in order to do what you feel is right.

This is one of those books where things build up slowly and then suddenly it all falls into place.
About halfway through the book, it was really hard to put down because the story is really engaging.
I think readers of political thrillers, or thrillers, in general, will enjoy this book. However, it might not be for you if you want to ignore the sad reality of child molestation. The book does tell a child's perspective and how the situation affected his life.

(Received the ebook in exchange for an honest review)

[drey · Rating 3 out of 5]

drey’s thoughts:

Politics and religion get thoroughly entangled in C.S. Farrelly's The Shepherd's Calculus...

Peter Merrick is a man wrestling with his faith - and his life, to a certain extent - when he learns of the passing of a mentor. Asked to write the eulogy for Jesuit priest James Ingram, Peter quickly buries himself in his own past. When he inadvertently uncovers letters pointing to the Church's wrongdoings, Peter's not quite sure what to do. Or how far to go.

One coincidence too many leads him to the political wrangling entangled in the current Presidential election, and Peter has to wrestle with his conscience.

I liked Peter, though he's a far cry from the image of the investigative journalist I have in my head; the one pounding doors and hounding (important) people to get at the truth. Peter was quieter, more timid than I expected, though I suppose that those who live a lot in their heads would come across that way...

I liked that Ally Larkin - a campaign volunteer - is from the midwest, and attended Marquette University, which is right down the street from my son's high school. The local setting was a joy as I don't come across Milwaukee very often in the books that have crossed my threshold. I also liked that she's sharp and no-nonsense, and it irked me when she disparaged herself (questioning her living situation, her lack of a social life, etc.) when comparing against her fellow campaign aides.

Overall, I thought The Shepherd's Calculus was a good read - solidly written, flows well, and leaves nothing hanging. The bad guys aren't evil nor idiots, the good guys aren't heroes; people are just people, doing what they thought was right (or what they could get away with), within the parameters of their beliefs and convictions.

drey’s rating: Good
This review was originally posted on drey's library

[Martina Ferraina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and the author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
I don’t usually read political thriller, but even tho is not really my favorite genre I really liked this novel!

At the beginning it was a bit hard to keep up with all the different character and (apparently) unrelated storylines, but after a few chapters I quickly got intrigued by the story and its protagonists. It was beautiful to see all the different part of the book slowly colliding and intertwining with each other, and the plot was masterfully unraveled bit by bit.

This book deals with the corruption of the Catholic Church, of the political system and, more broadly, with the weakening and corruption of our own beliefs, cause I believe this story may apply to any country or any religion and I think the main focus of each character was in his own principles and beliefs.

Lastly, a negative comment: I wish the author had taken more time and space to delve a bit deeper in the story and in the psychology of the characters. Sometimes I felt like I was just brushing the surface of the story.

[Jim Olearchik · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I wasn't really sure I wanted to read this, considering how rough our last political election was on so many of us. But once I got into it, I was hooked. As a Jesuit-educated reader, I jumped right into the world and the mindsets of the characters, especially those conflicted about Catholicism.

And then the latest scandal and evidence of the huge cover up of abuse by the Church in Pennsylvania broke....and it was like this book was writing the news. Eerie. There were days when I had to think for a second if what I had read was from the book or from the news. Which makes this book incredibly on point and really hard to put down.

These are not light topics, so be warned. But it was a totally enjoyable read and I look forward to more from the author.

[Mary Joan Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

Having been educated at a Jesuit college, lived through the Charismatic Movement in the Catholic faith, and now describing myself as a "recovering Catholic" I can only say " Bravo".
This book may be listed as fiction, but it is as realistic as possible. Fascinating, thought provoking and impossible to put down!

[Kddurgdec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yehr

Ydgrg u want me to come over over a week to go before I left my phone at work today now that the government is a prod 736gf74gb4h4g

[Janice S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Relevant storyline. Good writing. Many good thoughts and quotes concerning what religion should be but so often gets changed by MAN and man’s ambitions. Could easily be a conversation about politics as well.

[Joe Vitucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting story containing a specific pedophile priest and one of his victims. Entwined in that are people working on a presidential re-election committee, a bishop, a reporter, and much more. Also contains an interesting fact about why priests can't marry.

[Kristi Duarte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is more of a political novel than religious fiction, I quite enjoyed it.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

CS Farrelly, a brilliant playwright, scores with her debut novel. Tightly written, well-paced and thoughtful, the only possible problem with The Shepherd's Calculus is it is too smart and intricate to get the audience it deserves.

Read this book. It is fantastic.

[ragulus63largenametestinglargenametesting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Several months had passed since his return from an extended and harrowing assignment tracking UN peacekeeping operations on the Kashmiri border with Pakistan, where violent protests had erupted following the death of a local Hizbul Mujahideen military commander. The assignment had left him with what his wife, Emma, solemnly declared to be post-traumatic stress disorder. It was, in his opinion, a dubious diagnosis she’d made based on nothing more than an Internet search, and he felt those covering the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan deserved greater sympathy. He’d been a bystander to tragedy, he told anyone who asked, not a victim.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart and Complex Political Thriller

CS Farrelly, an accomplished playwright, knocks it out of the park with an excellent debut novel. Written with an intelligence seldom seen in the genre, it makes the reader worry this may too damn smart to reach the audience it deserves.

This book is special.

[Lizw · Rating 4 out of 5]

The early reviewers covered the essence of the plot, and were correct in that the establishment of the characters was a little confusing. Yes, you had a good idea as to where it was going and why, but it was still an amazing read. For those of us who watched the Catholic church go through those years of trauma and cover-up, it brought back a lot of memories. Well done.

[Tejaswini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shepherd's Calculus is a political thriller novel by C. S. Farrelly. The book unfolds the events of the United States presidential election which becomes the catalyst of a conspiracy which saves the church millions in legal repayments and gives the president a significant leverage over his opponent. All while playing with the faith of the masses.

Bishop Owen Feeny is a priest who doesn't always practice what he preaches. With his eyes on the post of cardinal and a dozen sexual offenders under his carpet, he invents a devious scheme which benefits the church as well as the president of the United States. With these great powers having his back, Feeny seems to have a sure victory.
That is until his friend Father James Ingram confronts his wrongdoings and persuades him to make things right.

This leads to a trail of breadcrumbs which attracts the attention of the hardened journalist Peter Merrick. One of Ingram's favourite students and a man with a strong moral compass, Merrick determines not to rest until he uncovers the shady plan.

Meanwhile, Ally Larkin is a newly appointed campaign representative at the president's electoral campaign where she learns secrets that shake her belief in the core institution of her country and the morality of her religion. Now she has to make a decision between her faith and her career. What will she choose?

The Shepherd's Calculus is an intriguing read and is definitely hard to put down. The flow of the story is quite natural and some parts are really thought provoking. The book is riddled with backstories which help to understand the character's perspective better and shed light on why particular events were important. For example, the time Peter Merrick spends in Kashmir, makes him realise the importance of justice and humanity which proves to be his fuel in his future pursuit of the truth. The characters are well developed and the book sheds light on a number of issues like child sexual abuse, immigration stresses, political corruption and economic inequality.

In certain parts I felt that the book revolved around the church too much. It might be difficult for someone not acquainted with the ecclesiastical ranks and hierarchy to follow the plot line at times. It certainly took me a while (and a fair use of Google) to get used to the various prefixes for the characters. I also think that the book would be better appreciated by someone who has a basic knowledge of US political history and government structure.

That being said, I feel the book captures the inevitable role of religion in politics which is almost ubiquitous and can be seen across countries and centuries. I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in political cover ups and conspiracy theories

[Read 4 Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gripping thriller masterfully weaves together faith, power, and corruption, forcing readers to confront the darker side of human nature. The complex characters, particularly Peter Merrick and Ally Larkin, are expertly crafted, making it impossible not to become invested in their struggles.

The plot is meticulously paced, with each twist and turn expertly revealed to maximize tension and suspense. The author's nuanced exploration of the Catholic Church's handling of sex abuse cases is both thought-provoking and heart-wrenching.

As the stakes escalate, the moral dilemmas faced by the characters become increasingly relatable, raising important questions about the true cost of power and the consequences of compromise. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning what you thought you knew about faith, loyalty, and the pursuit of truth.

The writing is superb, with a keen attention to detail and a deep understanding of the human condition. This is a must-read for fans of political thrillers and anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human morality.

[Hazel Nance · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusion

I chose this rating because it was too confusing. I got to 29% and just wanted to stop. So I stopped reading.