My Secret Is Your Secret

Every relationship between two individuals or two groups will be characterized by the ratio of secrecy that is involved in it. Even when one of the parties does not notice the secret factor, yet the attitude of the concealer, and consequently the whole relationship, will be modified by it. Georg Simmel, 'The Sociology of Secrecy and Secret Societies', 1906.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse turned up, and turned over, many dark secrets, ensuring abusers faced their accusers as it allowed many survivors to have their stories told, stories which they had previously maintained as secrets. Cardinal Barry Maddox, the senior primate of the Catholic Church in Australia, has worked his way to his position through a mix of piety, politics power, and persuasion. His general manager of business, Father Justin Bolton uncovers a scandal involving Maddox which, if revealed, would terminate his career in disgrace. Maddox's rival for the top job, Archbishop Tim Forsythe, is keen to mobilise his fellow bishops to accept all the recommendations from the Royal Commission, but is vehemently opposed by Maddox and his supporters on the Council of Bishops. As the secrets each of the main players are revealed to each other, they enter into a form of 'mutually assured destruction' knowing the devastation which would ensue if those secrets were made public, thus maintaining the power balance, an uneasy truce. While the intrigue at the upper echelons of the Church unfold, Sean Crichton attempts to get his life back on track. Suffering from a miserable home life, and having been viciously abused by his local parish priest, Sean escapes to the city where his life descends into drugs, crime and prison. Following prison Sean makes a solid effort at rehabilitation and, as part of that process, he is encouraged to tell his story to the Royal Commission. Emboldened with strength his new life has taken on, Sean decides to seek justice for those who abused him and who protected the abusers. As forces for change, conservatism and revenge collide each main character in this novel experiences justice, either by giving it, receiving it or taking it.