Thief in Retreat: A Sister Agatha Mystery (Sister Agatha Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Aimee Thurlo (Author), David Thurlo (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sister Agatha Mysteries | Publication Date: May 2, 2006

A former investigative reporter, Sister Agatha has more than her fair share of spiritual challenges as an extern, a nun responsible for her cloistered order's dealings with the outside world. Still, she's instantly intrigued when the archbishop requests she discreetly investigate the odd disappearances of valuable religious folk art from The Retreat, a former New Mexico monastery-turned-upscale-inn. But soon Sister Agatha is entangled in one unearthly puzzle that includes an art expert who's vanished without a trace, a truly strange flock of out-there suspects, and an unnerving apparition no amount of rationality can explain. She'll have to bring all her worldly instincts and savvy to heading off a disastrous scandal--as well as a sheriff more interested in political glory than finding the truth. And between strange clues and plenty of unexpected motives, Sister Agatha will need plenty of spiritual intervention and heaven-sent cunning to bring one devilish murderer to book…

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Extern nun Sister Agatha looks into some odd doings at the Retreat, an upscale New Mexico resort that was once the Monastery of Saint John in the Pines, in her divine second outing from the prolific Thurlos (after 2002's Bad Faith). The disappearance and reappearance of a number of religious statues and artwork that were allowed to remain at the Retreat after the sale of the old monastery prompt Archbishop Miera to call in the curator of the local college's museum. Enter Sister Agatha, her Harley and Pax, her white German shepherd. Sister Agatha and the curator join forces with Sheriff Tom Green, a close friend from the sister's previous life, who's out of his own jurisdiction but on hand to aid in the growing investigation. Suspects that include the local sheriff and an assemblage of mystery writers, plus a resident ghost that haunts the Retreat's halls and even has Sister Agatha wondering about unrest in the afterlife, keep this cozy humming. Readers will cheer as Sister Agatha puts God first and follows His lead.
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.

Review

"Sister Agatha...may make you a believer."--Baltimore Sun

"Enough twists and turns and ghosts to keep it fresh."--New Orleans Times Picayune

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312938659
• ISBN-13: 978-0312938659
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #716,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exciting amateur sleuth, November 13, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Thief in Retreat: A Sister Agatha Mystery (Sister Agatha Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Sister Agatha stops a robbery in progress by punching the felon in the nose; then rides back to Our Lady of Hope monastery where she will confess to the mother superior that she committed violence against another human being. Before her confession occurs, the archbishop talks to her.

He wants her to go to the retreat; a former monastery where religious folk art belonging to the archdiocese is on display. Someone is stealing some of the artifacts and replacing them with forgeries. The Archbishop wants Sister Agatha to recover the church property and catch the thief. Driving her motorcycle and having her guard dog Pax sitting in the sidecar, she goes to the retreat. Almost immediately she finds the murdered body of the art professor who was testing two objects to determine their authenticity. While Sister Agatha is there, more objects go missing, the handyman vanishes and Sister Agatha sees the `ghost' that is haunting the halls at the inn. At her wit's end, Sister Agatha baits a trap and hopes that the killer and thief fall for it.

Aimee and David Thurlo have written an exciting amateur sleuth novel showcasing a nun who is deeply religious yet is a witty, inquisitive and a brilliant crime solver. A convention of mystery writers is staying at the retreat, giving readers, an insiders' look at the world of writing and getting published. The mystery is well crafted, the characters are brilliantly developed and the storyline is so fascinating it is impossible to put THIEF IN RETREAT down until the audience finds out who killer is.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Religious art objects disappear, January 22, 2009

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thief in Retreat: A Sister Agatha Mystery (Sister Agatha Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Sister Agatha is an extern nun for Our Lady of Hope monastery, and as such she connects with the outside world when doing the order's business. She has also gained a reputation as an amateur sleuth, a pasttime she had some preparation for as an investigative reporter before she became a nun. When some religious art begins disappearing from a resort near the monastery, Sister Agatha's archbishop asks her to try to find out who is stealing the works. She goes to the resort on the pretext of sorting out some items that are to be returned to the monastery and encounters an interesting group of artists, a mysterious ghost, and an unfriendly sheriff. The authors take the reader through the requisite red herrings until Sister Agatha finally discovers the truth about the missing articles.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thief In Retreat, June 23, 2008

By 

William Hurst "A Large Fan" (Bonham, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thief in Retreat: A Sister Agatha Mystery (Sister Agatha Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

After finishing the "Ella Clah" series I was searching for something to read and it was suggested that I look at the "Sister Agatha" series. I just did not think that the same authors could possibly write two good series at the same time. I was wrong. This is a great series and once again I suggest that you read the series in order. Start with "Bad Faith" and read straight thru to "The Prodigal Nun". There is no way you can go wrong with this series.