Who Am I to Judge?

Martha and Marya #1

by Emily Hanlon

When a priest confesses to the murder of a parishioner, everyone in the wealthy waterfront town of Pequot Bays is convinced of his guilt—everyone, that is, except Marya Cook, a Bible-quoting, lavender-clad octogenarian known to locals as the Purple Pest.

Unable to prove his innocence on her own, she draws in Martha Collins, a much younger, efficient, ever-busy church lady, to assist in her investigations. Although Martha is unwilling to associate herself with the odd old woman as she accuses wealthy and influential suspects of murder, Marya's peculiar logic persuades her that this ditzy old woman may not be so ditzy after all.

A victim with plenty of enemies, a corrupt ambitious cop, a conflicting confession by a fellow priest, and the death of a prime suspect make the path to truth a crooked one. The rich and powerful suspects scoff at poor, dithering Marya. Can she, in the end, unveil their many secrets and prove there is more to a person than meets the eye?

Genres: Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2023

About the author

Emily Hanlon was raised in Texas, educated in Boston, and now lives in New York. She worked as a personal injury attorney for many years, then an arbitrator, and is now blissfully retired. She converted to Catholicism in 2000, and began writing Catholic infused murder mysteries about 12 years ago. A life of listening to witnesses and sifting through facts has prepared her well for creating the complex entanglements of murder mysteries. She, like her sleuths, is active in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a eucharistic minister, and is a proud, card carrying Church Lady.

Reviews

[Susan Furlong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read it after reading a much darker crime thriller, and it was just the break I needed. The first chapter pulled me in and I found myself taking breaks through the day just to read a little more of the story. The characters and the close knit community reminded me of Jan Karon's Mitford series, and the mystery kept me guessing. I'm looking forward to the next in this series.

[Ned Hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't pretend to be biased here... the author is my Mom! But that just makes me all the more happy and proud to say that this is a wonderful, sweet and fun mystery! Are we dealing with Catholic Miss Marple?... lay Father Brown in purple?... Brother Cadfael without an ongoing civil war in England?... I don't know, but I love it!

[Karina Fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun buddy mystery

I had the honor of helping Emily pitch this book to Chrism. It was so funny in summary, and even better in its full form. I devoured it in a day. In addition to the great characters, the mystery is well crafted. Highly recommend.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun to read! The characters are delicious with details. Marya goes from irritating to your best friend. Martha, with her lab Quincy, make a perfect team with Marya. The story is unique and has a surprising solution to the mystery. All the detail about the saints and biblical quotations are an education unto themselves. The descriptions of locations, together with the characters, are rich with colorful details - makes you feel like you’re there and know these people. So enjoyable that I will read again!
The author has given me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Amanda Lauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, I seldom read contemporary cozy mysteries, but this was written by a fellow member of CWG, so I got a copy from the author. Who am I to Judge? is well written and truly an engaging story. There's a murder at the parish and multiple people are confessing. An avid church volunteer gets roped into doing a side investigation with The Purple Pest, an elderly woman who is basically invisible to the rest of the church and society, but is much more in tune with the people around her than she lets on. I enjoyed how the characters were developed, and no one, no matter how much they volunteer or donate to the church, is perfect. They all have their foibles. Lots of twists and turns in the plot that keep you guessing. The only issue I had with the story is that Martha is portrayed as a 41-year-old woman, but from her mannerisms and speech (including the humorous expressions she has about countless martyred saints) she comes off as someone maybe 20 years older. It would've been nice to see her depicted as a Baby Boomer, someone a person my age can really relate to.

[P Sperl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Emily Hanlon’s debut, "Who Am I To Judge" is a delightful visit to the charming town of Pequot Bays where we meet an assortment of characters (“the wealthy and those who served them”) who live on all sides of town and have varied upbringings and lifestyles. When a murder in their parish community sets an investigation in motion, unexpected friendships and bonds are formed as the mystery is unraveled.
This was a fun read filled with quirky, mostly lovable characters; a good mystery; a faithful lab and a nice touch of Saints & Psalms. If you have ever served on a church committee or any community group, you will enjoy the interactions of this cast of characters!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining and captivating.
Emily Hanlon's debut mystery novel brings to life the intriguing and at times funny character of Marya, the peculiar old lady that investigates the shocking murder in a small town parish.
The leading character, Marta, brings together all the other players while developing an improbable tight relation and friendship with Marya, "the Purple Pest".
The great details, colors, and the quotations from the Bible and the likes of Shakespeare keep you intrigued, while the twists and turns keep you guessing till the very end.
A great read !

I have received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Vernon J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book enormously. I started reading two books for pleasure at the same time, one fiction, one non-fiction. I quickly put the non-fiction book back on the shelf so I could devote all my reading time to "Who Am I to Judge?" I am a fallen-away Catholic. The setting of this book -- a world I have been away from for many years -- was a pleasant reminder of the past. But it was the story that engaged me so much. Having finished "Who," I will now turn to the non-fiction book, but I don't think it will be as much fun. Wait, what am I saying? I'll read the second Martha and Marya novel instead!

[Clara Tessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading Emily Hanlon's "Who Am I to Judge". It is a fresh take on the murder mystery genre, with an unusual setting and richly drawn characters that drive the plot forward. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Martha and Marya, and look forward to seeing how that evolves in future books. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a fun read that keeps you on your toes until the very end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Alice Dent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ms.Hanlon’s first book in her mystery series of
M/M’s escapades in “Who Am I to Judge”. I enjoyed her style of humor describing the main characters’ hilarious; her compassion toward relevant issues, along with an intriguing plot a great read. I would recommend this enjoyable mystery, and I’m looking forward to reading future adventures.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book by Emily Hanlon, “Who Am I to Judge”, is a wonderful introduction to Martha and Marya. This was a fun read with unexpected twists. I loved the interaction between M&M and could relate to much of the thoughts, quick back-and-forths and circumstances. Ms. Hanlon's sense of humor was clearly seen through the characters. I look forward to the next adventures!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Keiko Shinki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Who Am I to Judge. The book was very entertaining with lots of humor, and the unique plot kept me wondering until the very end. Each character played spectacularly in their role. I especially loved seeing the development of Martha’s character through her unexpected relationship with Marya over the course of the novel. I cannot wait to read the next installment in the series!

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I enjoyed it very much. The ending is suspenseful and not one of those, I knew it all the time . The characters were very well developed. I loved learning and growing with them. Marya’s character was good in her steadfast belief in other people. Emily Hanlon has taught us all a good lesson in judging others.
This is a must read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good cozy

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this story was written for a first book. The characters are well fleshed out and it was a fun read.

[Mary Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Who Am I to Judge?, the first in the new Martha and Marya mystery series. Anyone like me who looks forward to a good cozy mystery with a small town's worth of characters with unexpected entanglements and possible motives for murder and plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the end will want to read Who Am I to Judge? Although this book is centered around the activities, staff and members of a fictional local church, readers who have been volunteers with school or community groups will recognize many of the characters as types they know and love or try to avoid at all costs.
Fans of Midsomer Murders (BBC-PBS), Father Brown Mysteries (BBC-PBS) and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple will be happy to meet Martha and Marya and join in their adventures as they unravel this murder mystery in Pequot Bays.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.