SYCAMORE DRIVE

SYCAMORE DRIVE

BY CHARLES MICHAEL CASPER

Probably most people are aware of the scandal in the Catholic Church that was brought to light in the past few years regarding pedophile priests, but how many were aware of these situations in the 1950’s, and if so, how many people did anything to expose them?

Sycamore Drive is a tale of one such priest and what happens when his perversion is discovered by a fellow priest. The book delves into how the Catholic Church tried to distance themselves from the offenses both by sweeping them under the rug and sweeping the offender to new locations, still within the accessibility of children. An unusual young man, a conscientious priest, and a few distraught and angry parents try to bring the offender to justice, but are continuously blocked in some way by the church.

The story is told well enough, but throughout I kept thinking there was going to be more to the story, especially regarding Norman, a highly intelligent and somewhat reclusive young man who helps bring the indiscretions to the forefront. I applauded the actions of the priest who tried without ceasing to make the church aware of the seriousness of the situation, but I also kept wondering why no one reported this to the police. Surely, someone on the police force had the same sense of decency and moral outrage that only a few people in the story seemed to have.

The book ended well enough, but again, I felt there was something missing. The ending read as more of a school book report instead of finishing with an engaging finality. There was no deep dig into anything; the story was as glossed over as much as the crime was glossed over by the church.

Even with these faults, I still found the book interesting and it helped me pass an afternoon.

Thanks to NetGalley and Old Stone Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars