Sister Mary Helen is now back at Mount St. Francis College for Women in San Francisco. She made her novitiate her fifty years ago and was now back in retirement, after working in education at various parishes over those years. At 75 years old, it was time to retire…according to the diocese.

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. ( )

indiferent murder poor sterotype of nuns

I enjoyed this book for its setting (Lone Mountain College for Women in San Francisco, although she gives it another name) and for the portrait it gives of an era, but it's a mannered portrait and feels false 30 years later. (This is in contrast to Dorothy Sayer's mysteries.)

My mother went to Lone Mountain for a year in the early 40s. It's nickname then was "San Francisco's college for lonely women." (It might have been "Holy Hill",too; I just never heard that.)

When I was at USF, I would sometimes trudge up Lone Mountain's hill to use their stunning library, set in a Gothic style building with brilliant blue carpets and a deep silence. ( )

This is a rare book - one I started,but didn't finish.

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 the plot wasn't too terrible. The painfully stereotypical characters were grating, and despite my affection for Miss Marple, I thought I might scream if Sister Mary Helen mentioned her again. ( )

A sweet and sassy cozy featuring a 70 year old nun as the amateur sleuth. Sent against her wishes to her alma mater to "retire,' Sr. Mary Helen finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, helping a former student who is now a San Francisco police detective find out the who and why.

A nice afternoon's read--perfect for the fog and rain of the San Francisco setting. ( )