Murder at the Monks' Table: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery (Sister Mary Helen Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sister Carol Anne O'Marie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007 | Series: Sister Mary Helen Mysteries

A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
Sister Mary Helen is in luck, depending on how you look at it. She and Sister Eileen are in Ireland to attend the weeklong Oyster Festival in the little village of Ballyclarin. They make their first stop at a central oasis of food and drink called the Monks' Table, where Mary Helen overhears a woman saying to the man with her, "I am surprised someone hasn't killed you already." The next night, Mary Helen finds the same man in the pub's ladies' room, murdered. Coincidence? Divine intervention? Heaven only knows…which his why Mary Helen must find out--even though the Irish police warn her not to get involved. But sometimes Fate will just not listen to reason…and soon this septuagenarian nun is on the case in one of her bravest adventures to date.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of O'Marie's delightful new entry in her clerical cozy series (Novena for Murder, etc.), Sister Mary Helen travels from San Francisco to Ballyclarin, Ireland, "home of the Oyster Festival." Sister Mary Helen and her friend, Sister Eileen, are looking forward to a wonderful week in the peaceful village enjoying all the festivities, from an art contest to a hurling match. Then Sister Mary Helen stumbles on the body of local reporter Willie Ward, who has a reputation for being a gossipmonger, in the ladies' room of the local pub, the Monks' Table. The Irish police order her to stay out of the investigation, but soon Sister Mary Helen is deeply involved through no fault of her own. Miss Marple would admire Sister Mary Helen's good intentions and even more her resolve to find the murderer, whose identity many readers will discover before our heroine. Despite this weakness, a fresh setting with lots of Irish color will keep fans turning the pages. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Who killed Willie Ward, leaving him perched unceremoniously on the toilet in the ladies' restroom at the Monks' Table? That is what the indefatigable Sister Mary Helen and her faithful sidekick, Sister Eileen, intend to find out after their holiday in Ireland is interrupted by the homicide. No stranger to the dark side of human nature, the perceptive Sister Mary Helen puts her uncanny intuition to good use as she assesses the residents of Ballyclarin, attempting to decide who is capable of cold-blooded murder. Initially reluctant to let her in on the case, the local police quickly discover that beneath her piety, the good sister is quite the crackerjack detective. O'Marie, a num herself, continues to provide first-rate whodunits enlivened by sharply drawn characterizations. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312357680
• ISBN-13: 978-0312357689
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful Irish police procedural-amateur sleuth, June 7, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the Monks' Table: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery (Sister Mary Helen Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The relatives of Sister Eileen buy her and her friend Sister Mary Helen tickets to attend the Oyster Festival in Ballyclarin, Ireland. The two nuns appreciate the kind gesture and quickly enjoy all types of activities at the gala. They especially gain pleasure meeting some of the local eccentric residents.

The good time comes to an abrupt halt when Sister Mary Helen discovers the murdered body of detested reporter Willie Ward in the ladies' bathroom at the Monk's Table. Detective Inspectors White and Reedy investigate; they quickly learn the victim made many enemies who would want him dead and from the San Francisco Police department that the two nuns tend to get involved in homicide investigations (see REQUIEM AT THE REFUGE). Though they caution the Sisters to stay out of their investigation and both try to adhere to the official warning, Sister Mary Helen and Sister Eileen keep stumbling into the middle of the case.

The killer is obvious and the clues found by the Sisters are more caused by chance than real investigating, yet readers will love this delightful Irish police procedural-amateur sleuth tale. The story line is amusing as the two detectives begin to wonder if the visiting Sisters have heavenly intervention as they seem to lurch from one clue to another that the cops missed. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest traveling escapades of the Nuns sleuthing on the run.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars murder with an Irish brogue, July 29, 2007

By 

Nancy J. Richmond (Shipshewana, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Murder at the Monks' Table: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery (Sister Mary Helen Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Sister Mary Helen has gone to Ireland and still manages to get involved with a murder. This clever nun doesn't go seeking dead bodies but does tend to trip over them somehow. Her great humor and quick mind finds answers before the police but then this is the only crime she has to worry about. Sister Mary Helen is always fun to read and the Irish setting gives it a new flavor. There was good characterization here.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sister Mary Helen fans will love this one!, January 10, 2007

By 

Steven C. Samer - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder at the Monks' Table: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery (Sister Mary Helen Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Sister Mary Helen is in Ireland visiting her friend Eileen and gets to do her sluething in "the old country." She is trying very hard to stay out of it, but bodies show up practically on her doorstep, so what's she supposed to do?! If you've read others in the Sister Mary Helen mystery series, I think you'll agree Carol Anne O'Marie has written another winner. I enjoyed it and bought one for my 88 year old mother for Christmas, also a fan of this series.

I highly recommend it! It's a good mystery in the tradition of the English "Cozy". Enjoy.
MJ Samer