Abide With Me is set in the small town of West Annett, Maine, in 1959, where the Reverend Tyler Caskey is struggling to cope with the death of his wife. Where he was once felt blessed and surrounded by God, he now feels alone and isolated with his 5-year-old daughter, Katherine. Buried beneath his grief, he finds his congregations' problems petty and can barely interact with his daughter. Katherine suffers also, refusing the speak since her mother's death and acting out at home and in school. The town and congregation begins to turn on Tyler, sharing gossip about Katherine and whispering rumors about his possible affair with the new housekeeper. Tyler finds himself on the brink of losing everything important to him. Elizabeth Strout's second novel (after
Amy and Isabelle) has received positive reviews with the New York Daily News saying, "It's lovely the way Strout guides
Abide With Me into the realm of the all too human. There, the reverend and his congregation find their way back to God and each other in a tender, moving novel."
