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lbarr031's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review
3.0
The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan is the first installment in A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. Sister Agatha is an Order of the Sacred Heart nun at Gwenafwy Abbey in Pryderi, North Wales where the sisters make their own gouda cheese known as Heavenly Gouda. Sister Agatha is the librarian for the abbey and, in her spare time, is working on writing a mystery novel. She enters the cheese barn to find Jacob Traherne, the sexton for St. Anselm’s Church, on the floor under a heavy steel shelving unit that had held their gouda. Constable Barnes rules the death an accident, but Sister Agatha has her doubts. This is an opportunity for Sister Agatha to utilize what she has learned from reading mystery novels, her writing classes and her favorite podcast on How to Write a Mystery Novel. With help from her fellow nuns and Father Selwyn (her designated sidekick), Sister Agatha sets out to find Jacob’s killer. But she cannot devote all her time to the case. The abbey is in trouble and they only have a short time to save their home. Plus, there is something fishy about their new postulant, Sister Callwen has been acting secretive lately, and their cheese is getting a bad rap. Join in on the adventure with Sister Agatha in The Shadow of Death.
I loved the description of The Shadow of Death and was eager to read it. The Shadow of Death starts out by sharing too much information. We are introduced to the abbey, the nuns, their gouda, the town, and so much more. It was an overload of details in the first sixteen percent of the book. I did enjoy the authors descriptions of the buildings and North Wales (makes me want to catch a flight to Wales). Ms. Willan is a descriptive writer who can get overly detailed at times (needs to find a balance). There are several storylines going on in The Shadow of Death. Unfortunately, they all do not tie together into a cohesive book. The author jumps around from one item to another. It makes for a choppy story. Sister Agatha reminds me of Mrs. Fletcher. I like that she is a librarian who loves mysteries and wants to write her own mystery novels. Sister Agatha has read hundreds of mystery novels and the names of numerous fictional sleuths are scattered throughout the book (they are her inspiration along with a pod cast). It was interesting to find out about the inner workings of a modern-day convent. These nuns have cell phones, computers, fancy sneakers, indulge in wine, and get to explore their dreams after age sixty. I was curious how they paid for all of these items when they were having trouble paying their bills. I thought the murder mystery was straightforward, and I could quickly identify the killer. I was more curious about Sister Callwen (she was being secretive). The pacing of The Shadow of Death was slow, the case details kept being repeated, and the book was too long (I did not think it would ever end). I wish the author had not put so much into this first book. The Shadow of Death was not the right fit for me. I do suggest that you obtain a sample to see if The Shadow of Death is the right cozy mystery for you. Everyone has different reading tastes.
I loved the description of The Shadow of Death and was eager to read it. The Shadow of Death starts out by sharing too much information. We are introduced to the abbey, the nuns, their gouda, the town, and so much more. It was an overload of details in the first sixteen percent of the book. I did enjoy the authors descriptions of the buildings and North Wales (makes me want to catch a flight to Wales). Ms. Willan is a descriptive writer who can get overly detailed at times (needs to find a balance). There are several storylines going on in The Shadow of Death. Unfortunately, they all do not tie together into a cohesive book. The author jumps around from one item to another. It makes for a choppy story. Sister Agatha reminds me of Mrs. Fletcher. I like that she is a librarian who loves mysteries and wants to write her own mystery novels. Sister Agatha has read hundreds of mystery novels and the names of numerous fictional sleuths are scattered throughout the book (they are her inspiration along with a pod cast). It was interesting to find out about the inner workings of a modern-day convent. These nuns have cell phones, computers, fancy sneakers, indulge in wine, and get to explore their dreams after age sixty. I was curious how they paid for all of these items when they were having trouble paying their bills. I thought the murder mystery was straightforward, and I could quickly identify the killer. I was more curious about Sister Callwen (she was being secretive). The pacing of The Shadow of Death was slow, the case details kept being repeated, and the book was too long (I did not think it would ever end). I wish the author had not put so much into this first book. The Shadow of Death was not the right fit for me. I do suggest that you obtain a sample to see if The Shadow of Death is the right cozy mystery for you. Everyone has different reading tastes.
boosmummy's review
3.0
Not on a parr with Midsomer but a decent enough story, the Americanisms throughout spoilt it a bit as the nuns in a Welsh convent wouldn't speak like that. Small things that give away the authors origins.
whoodrn's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I found this whole series delightful. I read all three back to back. I would love to read more of Sister Agatha's adventures.
drizcoll's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this more than I expected! The main character is great and the plot was quite interesting. I seem to enjoy nun-based fiction
cj_mo_2222's review
4.0
Sister Agatha is the librarian at Gwenafwy Abbey in North Wales and walks into their cheese processing barn looking for her friend Sister Callwen. She is shocked when she instead discovers the dead body of Jacob Traherne, the sexton at St. Anselm Church and at the Abbey. Sister Agatha isn't what you expect of a nun. She's currently writing a mystery novel and it's clear to her that Jacob is a victim of murder and won't let it go until she gets to the truth of what happened, which is harder than she thought since so many people are keeping secrets.
This book is well-written and I enjoy seeing characters who are not stereotypes of what is expected from a nun or a priest. I liked Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn, her friend since childhood, working together to solve the crime. I really enjoyed seeing the fascinating mix of history and modern times coming together. Gwenafwy Abbey was built in medieval times and yet the nuns now living there carry cell phones, shop online, and listen to podcasts.
There is a subplot of the bishop threatening to close the abbey, and I disliked all the things going on to conspire against the nuns to try to force that to happen. There were just too many bad things happening for too long and for me, it went from suspenseful to depressing. However, another subplot concerning the abbey's new recruit is intriguing and entertaining.
All of the various storylines are resolved by the end of the book. Sister Agatha is a great fan of Agatha Christie and this mystery will delight Miss Marple fans everywhere. Although some aspects of the book are more enjoyable than others, I still recommend this cozy mystery and think these characters with a different plot in any future installments would be even better.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Crooked Lane Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
This book is well-written and I enjoy seeing characters who are not stereotypes of what is expected from a nun or a priest. I liked Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn, her friend since childhood, working together to solve the crime. I really enjoyed seeing the fascinating mix of history and modern times coming together. Gwenafwy Abbey was built in medieval times and yet the nuns now living there carry cell phones, shop online, and listen to podcasts.
There is a subplot of the bishop threatening to close the abbey, and I disliked all the things going on to conspire against the nuns to try to force that to happen. There were just too many bad things happening for too long and for me, it went from suspenseful to depressing. However, another subplot concerning the abbey's new recruit is intriguing and entertaining.
All of the various storylines are resolved by the end of the book. Sister Agatha is a great fan of Agatha Christie and this mystery will delight Miss Marple fans everywhere. Although some aspects of the book are more enjoyable than others, I still recommend this cozy mystery and think these characters with a different plot in any future installments would be even better.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Crooked Lane Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
bookguyreads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25