Glittering Images by Susan Howatch

I just finished this (massive) novel in two days, an extremely rare occurence for me. I don't make recommendations, but this one may very well change my life. 

It is a mystery, a psychological examination, and a spiritual journey. Some reviewers call it melodramatic, but that is only in some of the emotion, not the plot, which did not resolve itself, really. The main character makes a decision that may or may not work out for him, but he seems to believe it is the right one. 

To be brief, a *clergyman in the Church of England in the 1930s is "asked" (really no choice in the matter) by the Archbishop of Canterbury to perform some espionage on a bishop who, first, is controversial in his views on divorce (it's right after the abdication of Edward) and who seems to be living in an odd household situation with his wife's companion. The clergyman (main character) becomes a guest in the "palace," falls in love with the companion, and starts a journey deep into the dysfunction in the palace, the bishop, the Church, his own family, and himself. As odd as this sounds, I couldn't put it down; Howatch (and I'm tempted to read more of her books but don't have the time to) has the ability to make therapy an fascinating unlayering into secrets and mysteries. 

So there we are; I couldn't finish the book without wanting to explore my own glittering image, the public masks we create to impress the world and perhaps comfort, or even deceive ourselves, and protect ourselves from the shame others would know about who we really are.  

*The Church of England has a remarkable litany of levels, deans, canons, priests, bishops, etc. I'm not sure what all of them actually are.