The Abbey by Chris Culver

Last updated on: April 30, 2013 at 12:12 pm by Julie Davis

The Abbey by Chris Culver 2013-04-29T12:12:25-05:00 Julie Davis

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ever seen those books from the 1960s where one volume had two books, with one printed upside-down and back-to-back with the other?

That concept is why wound up with this book. I requested The Outsider from the Amazon Vine program. I found … lucky me! … that the publisher had the first book in the series upside-down and backed up to it. Turns out The Abbey was a huge seller as an ebook and is now coming out in print.

I may not have been a very good Muslim, but my religion called me to seek and foster justice. It’s a divine edict as stringent as any command in any faith. Nobody gets a pass, least of all somebody who hurt my niece.

I was intrigued by the protagonist being an American Muslim police detective but the story itself was pretty interesting. Detective Sergeant Ashraf Rashid hasn’t worked homicide in a long time but his niece is murdered and he asks his ex-partner to let him look into it. Ash knows his niece wasn’t a drug user so when the coroner calls it an overdose, he turns up the heat. A string of deaths, pressure to stop investigating, and anonymous threats to his family add to Ash’s problems. The plot goes into overdrive and is somewhat overblown by the end, but I forgave it because I was unwilling to stop reading and flipping pages ever faster. I read it in one evening … the author clearly hooked me.

What made the story stand out was Ash himself. He rationalizes his drinking despite the fact that he shouldn’t as a practicing Muslim. Heck, he rationalizes drinking as a husband when he rinses with mouthwash before going home, and as a cop, which we see when he’s busted while driving. Clearly Ash is struggling with his profession.

What really fascinated me were the threads of faith woven throughout … as it defines Ash’s identity, as it is seen within his family, and how it is practiced in everyday American life (he can’t go to a certain diner for pancakes because they are cooked on the same griddle with bacon). These points aren’t dwelt upon but are just ever-present in his life, just as my Catholicism is for me (I couldn’t have eaten that bacon on a Friday). That made Ash into a much more developed character than we’d have seen otherwise and lifted the book above the common.

Overall it was an enjoyable book and I’m glad to have the sequel, The Outsider, as close as flipping the book over and opening the “back” cover.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 29, 2013

Becoming a Great Godparent: Everything a Catholic Needs to Know

Next Post

May 1, 2013 American Church: The Remarkable Rise, Meteoric Fall, and Uncertain Future of Catholicism in America

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Bible Study Bulletin Board Catholic Church Excerpt Faith-y Stuff Funny Stuff Good Deals Listening Now Patheos Book Club Personal Reading Challenge Podcast Alert Random Bookishness Resources Review Uncategorized Well Said What I'm Reading

Select a Month January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz