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The Beekeeper's Last Confession: A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery
Set in the atmospheric Welsh countryside, this cozy mystery blends humor, heart, and genuine suspense. From the ancient walls of Gwenafwy Abbey to St. Anselm jumble sales, from beekeeping secrets to championship honey cakes, The Beekeeper's Last Confession celebrates the power of community, the possibility of redemption, and the extraordinary courage of ordinary people standing against corruption.
When Sister Agatha receives a box of her brother Devon's belongings after his death, she discovers cryptic warnings about a sleeping dragon and a mysterious gold pin. What begins as grief transforms into a murder investigation spanning forty years of village secrets.
Armed with nothing but her sharp wit and an unlikely team of fellow nuns—including Sister Juniper on her pink Vespa and Sister Millicent with her ham radio expertise—Sister Agatha must decode her brother's encrypted clues before the killer strikes again.
As the village Harvest Festival approaches, Sister Agatha and her makeshift detective squad devise an ingenious plan involving coded messages hidden in honey cake decorations.
When Sister Agatha receives a box of her brother Devon's belongings after his death, she discovers cryptic warnings about a sleeping dragon and a mysterious gold pin. What begins as grief transforms into a murder investigation spanning forty years of village secrets.
Armed with nothing but her sharp wit and an unlikely team of fellow nuns—including Sister Juniper on her pink Vespa and Sister Millicent with her ham radio expertise—Sister Agatha must decode her brother's encrypted clues before the killer strikes again.
As the village Harvest Festival approaches, Sister Agatha and her makeshift detective squad devise an ingenious plan involving coded messages hidden in honey cake decorations.
- GenresMystery
217 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2025
34 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 1, 2025
4.5 stars. This might be the best Sister Agatha mystery yet.
October 13, 2025
Another great adventure with Sister Agatha and her mightly crew!
October 7, 2025
What an extraordinary book! Where I was expecting a simple calm and cozy mystery, instead there was a complicated plot addressing some very modern concerns like electronic surveillance of communities, false officials not hesitant to use the power of their office to attempt to destroy those who are inconvenient to their plans, and a villain who has chosen a path of pure evil. Against all this stands Sr. Agatha and her friends. The theme of a sleeping dragon could be both ominous and comforting, depending on who awakens it and why.
The climax was intense! Taken by force from her community Sr. Agatha is coerced into trying to unlock a code designed by her recently deceased brother. Sr. Agatha is disturbed by the revelations of evil and of greed that tarnishes her grief and view of her brother and others, but she never loses her faith in the goodness found within. Yet, so many deaths occur, simply in order for one person to access an enormous amount of stolen money.
Sr. Agatha and her fellow sisters, all with their unique strengths and talents, are a delight. “A community both flawed and fanciful, fierce in their love for one another.” This story tells us that a community can be a force for good, no matter how diabolical appears the evil in their midst.
This is one of those books where you just sigh in contentment when you read the last page, and yet are disappointed that you have reached the end. This is one reason why I hope the author is planning more books in this series.
The cover was delightful and it is only proper that Sr. Agatha gets sole billing. This latest book in the series, the best yet, was an unexpected and wonderful treat.
The climax was intense! Taken by force from her community Sr. Agatha is coerced into trying to unlock a code designed by her recently deceased brother. Sr. Agatha is disturbed by the revelations of evil and of greed that tarnishes her grief and view of her brother and others, but she never loses her faith in the goodness found within. Yet, so many deaths occur, simply in order for one person to access an enormous amount of stolen money.
Sr. Agatha and her fellow sisters, all with their unique strengths and talents, are a delight. “A community both flawed and fanciful, fierce in their love for one another.” This story tells us that a community can be a force for good, no matter how diabolical appears the evil in their midst.
This is one of those books where you just sigh in contentment when you read the last page, and yet are disappointed that you have reached the end. This is one reason why I hope the author is planning more books in this series.
The cover was delightful and it is only proper that Sr. Agatha gets sole billing. This latest book in the series, the best yet, was an unexpected and wonderful treat.
October 8, 2025
Jane Willan has done it again with The Beekeeper's Last Confession. This is the fourth book in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. All are wonderful books, each one better than the one before it. The Beekeeper's Last Confession keeps Jane Willan's streak alive and powerful as she continues to turn out one excellent book after another in this series. In this one, readers are treated to a puzzling mystery when one member after another of a secret group that includes Sister Agatha's own brother, dies under suspicious circumstances. Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn are far from alone in solving the mystery as the convent's nuns gets in on it, each lending their own unique talents to solving the crime and catching the perpetrator. Lovers of cozy mysteries won't want to miss this book or any of the others in this series!
October 1, 2025
I am so excited and honored to be the first reader to review this book!
As in her previous books, Sister Agatha held my attention throughout the entire story.
No spoilers here...but a very exciting ending!
Can't wait to read the further adventures of Sister Agatha and her friends.
Congrats Pastor jane on another great read.
(I met the author a few years ago at a Malice Domestic banquet and she is delightful company as is her hubby, Don!)
As in her previous books, Sister Agatha held my attention throughout the entire story.
No spoilers here...but a very exciting ending!
Can't wait to read the further adventures of Sister Agatha and her friends.
Congrats Pastor jane on another great read.
(I met the author a few years ago at a Malice Domestic banquet and she is delightful company as is her hubby, Don!)
November 5, 2025
Sister Agatha returns with a very personal mystery. As usual, the plot is deliciously convoluted and the characters are so well developed that you feel you know them personally. I highly recommend this book and the entire Sister Agatha series.
November 2, 2025
A nice return visit with Sr. Agatha, Fr. Selwyn and the rest of the gang investigating a decades old murder(s) and embezzlement! A+
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews