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Readers have come to delight in the murder-solving exploits of septuagenarian Sister Mary Helen, a nun with a nose for trouble. Publishers Weekly calls the Sister Mary Helen Mysteries "refreshingly different". Once you meet this spry, clever sleuth, you'll want to make a habit of reading her adventures again and again. Sister Mary Helen isn't ready for retirement. Instead she's arrived at a San Francisco women's college to teach history and perhaps shake things up. An earthquake does that before she can, and amid the rubble lies a body. An "Act of God" is not responsible for the death, but rather murder. One of Sister Helen's fellow nuns begins a novena to St. Dismas, "the Good Thief" predicting the saint will reveal the murderer within nine days. Sure enough the police soon nab a suspect...but Sister Mary Helen believes it's the wrong man and begins her own pursuit of the killer. Her motive is justice...and her inspiration, simply divine.… (more)
User reviews
Sister Anne and Sister Eileen aid Mary Helen while Sister Therese starts a novena to St. Dismas (the patron saint of murderers) to get spiritual assistance. The interactions between the nuns and the police are entertaining and the story is a definite for those who like the old style as well as some religious reminders. It was also amusing to read a book that was written before cell phones and the Internet.
A nice
My roommate happened to notice it, and thought I might enjoy a catholic mystery story. And I probably would, just not this one.
It's a pleasant enough cozy mystery, but not good enough that I wanted to keep reading it. The writing was okay, and
Instead of immersing herself in research, Sister Mary Helen finds herself investigating the murder of Professor Villanueva, which has happened shortly after her arrival. The investigation turns up some ugly doings that are known of by many of the Portuguese at the college. Villanueva helped them to come to the US for a better life. It seems Villanueva is not the saintly man he portrays to people.
Detectives Murphy and Gallagher, assigned to the case, find that the information Mary Helen finds is more pertinent to the case that what they are able to find, and worth paying attention to. Sister Mary Helen has learned quite a bit, during her school years. What people say, what is actually meant, the appearances and what is perceived are not always the truth.
The story is along the lines of Miss Marple. An older character who uses her observations of life to unravel the clues to who “dunnit.” I believe there are two more books of this character and I plan to find them. Enjoyable reading.
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| Fic Mystery O'Marie |