Church Choirs Can Be Murder

Saffron Weald #2

by Ann Sutton

Murder in the church choir always strikes the wrong note

Someone is stealing priceless, sacred artifacts from the church vault of the quaint English village of Saffron Weald. Ophelia, and her identical twin Imogen, are called upon to lend their sleuthing skills to discover the identity of the thief before the matter needs to be reported to church authorities, thus avoiding a scandal. But the investigation takes a sinister turn when a shocking murder occurs, thrusting the inquisitive sisters into a web of mystery and intrigue.
As they delve into the church's storied past, the suspect pool narrows to members of the church choir, and the twins face a perplexing could the theft and murder be intertwined?
As Imogen and Ophelia follow a trail of cryptic clues with the help of their faithful dog, Tiger, they uncover secrets long buried, both within the sacred walls of the church and the confines of the ancient village. Yet, their investigation is hampered by the mysterious disappearance of a vital ledger, meticulously kept by the victim, detailing the church's priceless medieval treasures. With time running out, the resourceful twins must unravel the truth before the murderer strikes again.
Rich in 1920s historical charm and laden with suspense, the second installment of this best-selling series will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Join the delightful, retired twin sisters as they embark on this quest to uncover the dark secrets lurking behind the church choir’s harmonious façade.
Will they solve the murder and recover the lost treasures or will the mysteries of the past remain forever hidden.

Fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple will delight in this series.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Eden]

2025 bk 68. I am as pleased with the 2nd book as the first. Excellent clues that are subtlely (is that a work?) woven into the body of the story. At first I thought yes, its..., but then other clues led me astray. I continue to enjoy the world of Saffron Weald and the two ladies who are building a home there. Let me say that this is listed as a cozy historical mystery, not just a cozy mystery. I didn't realize that cozy had insinuated itself into so many different genres (cozy fantasy, cozy paranormal, etc), heaven forbid we have a cozy horror story next. However this does accurately describe a cozy. Cozy style has become formulaic lately - and the first novel included what seems to be the manditory shake up of a main character's live involving a move to a new town (death/divorce/job loss - some trauma). The features of character a reader can identify with, the murder done off scene and someone for whom the reader has established at least a sympathetic link, but not too close of a tie. The help of non-police friends and at that last minute the police. All are available here - it is what the writer does within those bounds keeps us reading - and Ann Sutton has the touch to provide change and clues at just the right moment.

[Lisa Bjornstad]

Fabulous book!

Ann Sutton is a master storyteller. The twin sister detectives are two of my favorite characters among the hundreds of cozy mysteries I have read. Being a woman of a certain age myself, I love that these two elderly sisters have their detecting wits about them and are seen as valuable assets to the local constabulary. Sheer delight, and I look forward to the next book in what I hope will be a lengthy series.

[Vintagebooklvr]

3 1/2 stars. This is a delightful mystery set in a quaint village in the 1920s that seems to have a sudden trend of murder (that never happens in fictional England!). Two identical twins in their 60s have come back to their home town after their mother has died to live in their old house in accordance to her will. And they happen to discover they are pretty good at investigations. I really like Ophelia and Imogen. They have spunk and character. The mystery is solid too.

[Mary]

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery set in a small English town. The twin sleuthing sisters are delightful, as are the authors description of the town, the buildings, and the residents. Dog lovers will enjoy meeting. Their pet dog named tiger. The mystery itself was a multi layered story that was quite interesting. I’m ready to read the next one in the series.

[Victoria]

I loved this book, which I found on Kindle Unlimited. English twins in their sixties solve crimes in their village. This has a plot worthy of Agatha Christie, an adorable town full of suspects, and many fun, humorous moments. I read this one because I used to sing in church choirs, and the details here regarding that are legit. Looking forward to reading more by this author!

[Randa L. Austin]

A good read! Humorous and wonderful!

I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the overall general attitude of the players. It is a good read! I liked this book and the first one a lot💋

[Mrs. Margaret Bruce]

Worth reading

Good plot and characters. The story is well written apart from one thing. There are several Americanisms and grammar errors.
If a book is set in the UK, the author should use proper British English.

[Kari]

Nice

A perfect cozy mystery, I like the twins relationship with the inspector, I prefer gently discouraged participation rather than open disbelief and rancor. A bit predictable but an almost sympathetic killer. No one likes a blackmailer…and that’s a tricky business.

[Sparky Fredlund]

A Very Entertaining Mystery

I ready many cozy historical mysteries, but have only recently discovered Ann Sutton. Church Choirs Can Be Murder is book two in a four book series. I am looking forward to reading the next two!

[Maryann]

Fun Cosy Mystery

I enjoy the sisters and their friends. Set in a post WWI rural English village, the very relaxed pace of life matches the way the mystery unfolds and makes for the perfect book to curl up with and enjoy a nice cup of tea.

[Jill Stirling]

Wonderful. Again.

[Sienna S'Zell]

These ladies are smart and likeable, and make a lot of good informed guesses. Fun to read.

[Gerald Samoray]

good but not great

I enjoy her writing but there are too many clues and suspects. This sometimes causes the story to drag. We”ll see in the next one.

[Kim Ramelli]

It was a fun read. I was disappointed that there wasn't more about the choir. But, it's a easy and relaxing read

[Lynne]

Twin sisters in their 60's return to the village they grew up in. They join the church choir, and one night at practice, a body is discovered near the crypt. The sleuthing sisters are on the case.

[Jennifer Mary Bown]

Good old fashioned sleuthing

Enjoyed the 1920s village atmosphere. Lots of twists and turns. The series was excellent. Would love more from this author.

[Jill]

Completely Entertaining

I am completely loving the Saffron Weald Mysteries. Love the twins of a certain age catching killers. So well written. Can't wait for the next book.

[Susanne]

Entertaining enough. I think the murderer was pretty obvious in this one, but I do like the sisters and the other characters.

[Teddi]

Better than the first book although I guessed the culprit early on.

[KATHERINE]

a very good mystery

The book kept you guessing all the way through. Good characters and plot. A good read. Great setting in England and the church and village. Enjoyed

[Deborah Gaspar]

Music and Murder

A small village murder that involves many potential suspects and two smart sisters and their dog. Interesting plot and a treasury of findings.

[susan greenawalt]

Wonderful mystery

Enjoyed Book 2 of this series from start to finish. Love the new series. Highly recommend and hoping another book planned.