The Shadow of Death

Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery #1

by Jane Willan

A charming and clever traditional mystery debut set at a bucolic Welsh convent, The Shadow of Death introduces Sister Agatha, a mystery-loving nun who finds herself in the midst of a real-life murder case.

The sisters of Gwenafwy Abbey have cherished their contemplative life—days spent in prayer, reflection, tending the Convent’s vegetable gardens and making their award-winning organic cheese, Heavenly Gouda. Life seems perfect, except for Sister Agatha, a die-hard mystery fan who despairs of ever finding any real life inspiration for her own novel. That is, until the Abbey’s sexton is found dead under an avalanche of gouda. Despite the reservations of the local constable, Sister Agatha is convinced it’s murder and the game is afoot.

Armed only with the notes she’s scribbled during her favorite podcast, How to Write a Mystery Novel, as well as a lessons learned from crime heroes ranging from Hercule Poirot to Stephanie Plum, Sister Agatha leads the nuns of Gwenafwy Abbey (and her unwitting sidekick, Father Selwyn) as they begin a race against time to resolve the death of Jacob, save the Abbey, exonerate a beloved postulant, and restore the good name of their cheese.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy, Contemporary, Adult

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2018

About the author

Jane's literary journey began with the beloved Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery Series. Set in a Welsh convent where cheese-making nuns solve crimes, these charming whodunits have been described as "Call the Midwife meets Agatha Christie." The series, beginning with "The Shadow of Death", delights readers with its gentle humor and engaging puzzles.
Her protagonist Sister Agatha—a sixty-something nun who aspires to write mysteries herself—constantly references famous fictional detectives, creating a meta layer that both honors and gently parodies the genre.
Jane's upcoming novel "Widow's Walk" introduces Miranda McCurdy, a chef-turned-priest navigating coastal Maine's challenges. This book is her first foray into Women’s Fiction
Through her books, sermons, and public appearances, Jane Willan reminds us that faith and imagination complement each other—proving that sometimes the most unexpected combinations create the most compelling stories.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan is the first book in the new cozy Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. The story takes place at the Gwenafwy Abbey when unfortunately the Abbey’s sexton is found dead and the local law is called in.

Sister Agatha is a diehard mystery fan and aspiring writer so while she watches on the death is declared an accident she immediately begins pointing out the evidence to the contrary.

To the sheriff it looks as if Jacob was reaching for the Heavenly Gouda on a high shelf when it all fell on him. But Sister Agatha is quick to point out he is facing the opposite direction. There are also a few other questionable things around to point her towards thinking this was a murder so what else could she do but try to discover the murderer herself.

The Shadow of Death looked like it was going to be a cute cozy mystery that I might enjoy but when finished this one was just not my cup of tea unfortunately. The story starts off feeling a bit info-dumpy with it being chapter three before the characters begin to interact and speak so a bit too much telling to begin for my taste already leaving me a bit disconnected to start.

As the story gets going it also gets a bit boggled down with a lot of extra going on besides just the murder to solve. This brings in a lot of characters and action to keep track of for an opener when I'd rather be getting to know the main characters better. I also wondered here and there how realistic some things going on were. So while this one just didn't pull me in there are others that seem to enjoy it more than I did so feel free to give this one a try for yourself.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister Agatha has been a nun at Gwenafwy Abbey in Wales for 40 years. Besides God, there have been two great loves in her life since childhood....the nuns of the Abbey and books. She is the librarian at the Abbey and, in secret, she listens to mystery podcasts and is writing her own novel. Then she discovers the Abbey's Sexton, Jacob Traherne, dead under an avalanche of metal shelving and rounds of Heavenly Gouda (cheese made by the nuns) and has to put everything she knows about sleuthing to the test. The local constable has reservations, but Sister Agatha is sure that Jacob was murdered. She sets to work to discover the murderer, putting everything she has learned from literary detectives like Hercule Poirot and even information gleaned from her favorite podcast, How to Write a Mystery Novel, into practice. With the help of the other nuns at the Abbey and Father Selwyn, Sister Agatha sets out to prove the innocence of an accused postulant and save the day!

This book has such a refreshing mix of wit, humor and mystery. It reminds me of Hamish Macbeth for the quirky characters....a bit of Father Brown with its amateur sleuths of the religious persuasion....and a smidge of Murder She Wrote tossed in the pot as well. Several times I had to laugh out loud at the humor. For example, the sisters adopted two pigs not realizing they were potbellied pigs and not regular soon-to-be-ham pigs, and they ended up pets. Their names? Luther and Calvin. :) A little Catholic humor there. :) And their cheese....Heavenly Gouda. That's just too cute. I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. The characters are fabulous. The humor and wit is refreshing. And the mystery was interesting with plenty of suspects, twists, turns and sheannigans going on.

What a nice start for a new cozy series! It has a little bit of everything.....a postulant with a past, thievery at the church, a Bishop with bad intentions, a nun who loves whodunits and podcasts, and a great murder mystery. Loved it from beginning to end!

This is Jane Willan's debut novel. I will definitely be reading more of this series!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, easy read with a fine mystery. Sister Agatha was a mellow yet determined mc, a wanna-be mystery writer and amateur detective. Loved the references to the podcasts and rules of detecting of a former police Inspector turned best-selling author. The descriptions of the Northern Wales countryside and village where the convent was located were super.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new author for me, the first book of a new series featuring Sister Agatha finds her writing a detective story. There are only 19 sisters left in the Welch Anglican convent. The descriptions of area and characters were good. The writing did not flow smoothly and the story jump between characters. This made it difficult to follow the narrative and many commonplace says were used. Two themes are present and not connected to make one story. The church sexton is found dead under a rack of Gouda cheese. The constable considered it an accidental death. Sister Agatha believes it is murder and decided to investigate the death. Second, involved the latest sister and someone wants the acreage for a spa.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Of Death is the first book in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn series.

I think this is a wonderful new series. It brought to my mind the Father Dowling series that I enjoyed watching on TV and also reading.

Sister Agatha is one of only ten nuns left at Gwenafwy Abbey, fewer women becoming nuns have had huge aimpact at the Abbey. Sister Agatha’s main role at the Abbey is as its librarian and now that she has taken a course on writing mystery novels has been working on her first book in her spare time.

The convent, in need of a source of income has started making Gouda cheese and have aptly named it Heavenly Gouda and are looking forward to the annual Cheese Festival at Gwydion Castle. They are hoping to win an award they are hoping their sales will reach heavenwards. Sister Agatha heads for the cheese barn to confront Sister Callwen about a disturbing voice mail that she had heard, but upon entering instead of finding Sister Callwen, she finds Jacob Traherne, Sexton at St. Anselm, face down and bleeding having been crushed by the heavy metal shelving and many rounds of Gouda cheese. Constable Barnes rules it an accident, but Sister Agatha believes otherwise. Her belief is reinforced when there is a fire, confined to the roof of the barn. The Sisters hope that they will be able to salvage enough cheese to at least have decent sales and showing at the festival.

Sister Agatha, having read enough mysteries, knows she needs a “sidekick” and enlists the help of Father Selwyn, vicar of St. Anselm, to solve the mystery of who killed Jacob. They also need to learn who is trying to sabotage their cheesemaking operation.

This book has a very enjoyable cast of characters. I particularly liked Sister Agatha, as she knows she no detective and is often referring back to podcasts, that she listens to, by retired Chief Constable McFarland and asking herself what would he do. Another interesting character is Sister Gwenydd, a young lady who shows up at the Abbey and wants to become a nun. Her past is a mystery, but she is an excellent cook and the Sisters love to eat, so they welcome her, hoping she will find her calling with the Abbey.

This is a wonderful start to this new series, with a well-plotted and told story. For me, it was a book that was hard to put down and am looking forward to learning more about the Sister of Gwenafwy Abbey and, of course, Father Selwyn, too.

I’m anxiously awaiting book 2, The Hour Of Death, due out in October 2018.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new series, Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery, about a convent in Wales. The nuns are getting older and money to keep the convent is hard to come by so they start to make and sell cheese. As they start to enter contests and win awards the business is starting to pay off but someone isn't happy. When their sexton is found dead under a collapsed shelf of cheese wheels, Sister Agatha is sure it's murder. She is the Abby's librarian and an avid mystery reader. I was so glad to see this was the beginning of a series because the story is wonderful and I can't wait until the next group of nuns arrive. This appears to be Jane Willan's first book and she did a great job Enjoy. I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun debut and first in series. It wasn’t a typical story about a religious order – these nun’s make cheese, write mystery novels, play pokemon and attend yoga classes. But I enjoyed meeting each of the characters with their individual quirks and following Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn on their hunt for the killer was a kick. There were a few inconsistencies with details but they didn’t take away my enjoyment of the story. I will read the next installment when it comes out.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this first Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mystery. It reminded me a bit of a BBC murder mystery -- think Father Brown and Call the Midwives mash-up. Let me qualify that by explaining that my only experience with Anglican nuns has been with that Midwives show so while none of these nuns are off delivering babies there are lots of similar elements like the sisterhood full of unique personalities, the struggle to stay relevant in a changing world and the fight to keep the once thriving abbey viable. The Father Brown reference is, of course, for the sleuthing clergy -- though, in this case, it's Sister Agatha who plays Holmes to Father Selwyn's Watson.

I absolutely loved the the glimpse into the day-to-day life at the abbey and in their small Welsh community. The mystery is solid with enough red herrings to keep this armchair sleuth on her toes. I am quite enamoured with these characters and am anxious to see what's in store for them next.

I listened to the audible edition of The Shadow of Death, narrated by Helen Lloyd. The lyrical Welsh accents brought so much charm to my listening enjoyment.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut cozy by Jane Willan. Sister Agatha, a nun and mystery lover at Gwenafwy Abbey in northern Wales, takes great pride in the fact that she shares a name with the queen of crime, Agatha Christie. When nuns at the abbey turn 60 the other sisters encourage her to reach for the stars and achieve whatever dream she may have, and for Sister Agatha it's to write her own mystery novel. After Jacob, the church sexton, is found dead in the cheese barn where Gwenafwy Abbey's Heavenly Gouda is produced, her education and all that she's learned from fictional detectives comes in handy. Sister Agatha is convinced that Jacob did not die accidentally and that he was in fact murdered. She enlists the help of her lifelong friend Father Selwyn, and together they try to discover who caused young Jacob's demise. There are other sub-plots woven throughout the story - a fugitive turned postulant, missing items from the church, the attempted sabotage of the Abbey's Heavenly Gouda cheese business, and a bishop who wants to close the doors on the Abbey. The Shadow of Death is a quick-paced page turner, and I certainly hope there will be more books in this series. Very well done, Jane Willan - 5 stars!

[Cozybooklady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I was not able to read the entire book.
I could not connect to any of the characters and I had a difficult time following the story. It seemed to jump around a lot and some of the writing just did not make sense to me.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

[EmmyT · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read half of the book. I thought I was near the end, when I started Chapter 15. The book is too long. I read books with clergy sleuths because I want a little serenity, grace and a faith in something larger than life along with the mystery. These nuns drink wine as their solution to stress, eat gourmet food, and spend untold amounts on their dream wishes. They all have cell phones, and personal computers, not for church business, but for their personal interests. Yet they are too poor to pay their bills! They expect their indulgences without having earned them. I finally said enough when one of the nuns had running shoes with flashing lights for participating in a 5k race. Faith, peace or anything of this ilk are rarely mentioned. The bishop is openly hostile and sarcastic when speaking to the older Reverend Mother. I did think the story line was good and enjoyed some of the back story. Knowing I was only half way through, it became too tedious to continue.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had this book for quite a while, don’t know why I’ve not got round to reading it before. Enjoyed it and will read at least another one in the series.

[Filip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I find it weird that a novel that makes so many nods to classic whodunnits authors makes the mistake of saying that Miss Marple was the protagonist in Mrs McGinty's Dead.

That aside, the novel was quite fun, with a quirky, interesting protagonist and a really refreshing look at life on the convent. The separating cast isn't as memorable (with some exceptions) and the main mystery isn't that great either, with quite a disappointing ending. The B-plot and the life in the monastery is much more interesting and actually quite enjoyable. I really liked (the Mrs McGinty mistake aside) the various nods to classic whodunnits, though beware as this book spoils the ending of many of them.

All in all, while I didn't fell in love with the plot, the whole thing was written in such a warm and affectionate way that I just couldn't not enjoy it.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This remarkable debut mystery is similar to two of my favorite ecclesiastical mysteries--Father Brown (admittedly, the TV series) and Julia Spencer-Fleming's Clare Fergusson / Ross Van Alstyne set in Millers Kill. Here, the setting is an Anglican Abbey in rural Wales, with Sister Agatha determined to write her own mystery novel while stumblint onto a real-life murder to solve. Interesting characters, well-written plot--even if a bit overlong--foretells an excellent series to come. Cozier than the excellent but dark Sidney Chambers series by James Runcie, which became the equally excellent PBS series Grantchester.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great country mystery with engaging characters. Sister Agatha has lived at Gwenafwy Abbey since she entered as a postulant at age 19. Now over 60, she has seen changes at the Abbey. From a peak population of 100 Sisters, the abbey is down to 19 and the bishop is looking at closing the Abbey.

Sister Agnes want to write mysteries. The Abbey sent her to school and now the Abbey's librarian has a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. She is in the throes of writing her own mystery when a mystery appears at the Abbey. Their young sexton Joseph Traherne has been found dead in the Abbey's aging room for their award winning Heavenly Gouda. A metal rack holding their aging cheeses fell on him. The local Constable is all set to write it off as a tragic accident but Sister Agnes isn't so sure.

She decides to investigate and recruits Father Selwyn as her unwitting assistant since all the great detectives have assistants to bounce ideas off. But Joseph's death isn't the only mystery at the Abbey. The new postulant, the first in ten years, has secrets of her own and is fleeing a murder investigation. Also, Sister Callwyn who entered the Abbey with Sister Agnes is keeping some sort of secret and showing an interest in technology that was totally new for her.

As she investigates in her village, she discovers that Joseph had a boyfriend whose ex was jealous of his new relationship. She discovers that Joseph had a rival for his position as the lead singer of his choir and the rivals helicopter mother seems willing to do anything so that her son can take the position she feels he deserves. She discovers that one of the local farmers may have a motive to discredit the abbey's cheese production in order to steel business from them. Then there is the new young deacon at the church who might have a gambling problem.

I loved the references to other mysteries and the references to the podcast that Sister Agnes listens to religiously (sorry!) for hints about writing her own mystery. This was an entertaining story with great characters and plot twisty enough to keep me guessing.

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan is a refreshing change in the cozy mystery book category. The story is centered around a convent and the main character, Sister Agatha, sets out to solve a murder that occured at the Abbey. Of course, Sister Agatha seems the most likely candidate to investigate seeing as she is writing a mystery novel .....

I, for one, when I think about convents and nuns and the life within will admit that I have an "old-fashioned" outlook on what goes on. I have this image of dark and dreary living quarters, limited color, a lot of silent prayer, everyone being very serious and even boring but that is not the case at all with the residents of Gwenafwy Abbey !!! They have cell phones, they make their own cheese, Heavenly Gouda, to sell, Sister Agatha is writing a mystery novel, the Reverend Mother has a basketball on her desk and is known to shoot hoops outside the kitchen late at night, another nun is writing comic books, Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn visit a pub called Saints and Sinners, Father Selwyn drives very fast and the nuns drink wine !!!

I loved so much about The Shadow of Death ..... it really is unlike other cozy mysteries.....and Jane Willan has taken her life and love as a pastor and combined it with her imagination and talent and have provided the reading world with a masterpiece !! I could not put the book down..... I was drawn to every aspect of the story and really, really want a cup of Welsh Brew and a scone......

I highly recommend changing it up a bit and picking up your copy of The Shadow of Death and letting Willan take you on an eye-opening and pleasant journey.....

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever Agatha started to think about the mystery solvers she admires and what she should do next I smiled. I also loved the meetings with all the Sisters, it was neat to imagine them seating in the warming room and Agatha making her faces. I was surprised in many ways on how this book turned out, it was well done in the mystery level. I would rate the mystery a 10!

Overall, the entire book was fun, light hearted, and a perfect 10 in the cozy mystery world. I loved every single page of this book, and can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. Truthfully, my christian fiction fans, and cozy fans alike will love this mystery! Hope this makes your Monday a bit more exciting and that you get this book into your TBR pile.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It has the mystery/crime and the life of the nuns at the convent. It is a little bit Father Brown and a little bit Call The Midwife, without the midwifery.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting enough read but some of the Welshness could have been more appropriate with additional research. As an example since when did the currency in Wales change to dollars?

[Jenni Littlejohns · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed the plot, but I feel strongly that if you're going to set a book in Wales then it needs to use the correct terminology.

All the American terms were anachronistic. We don't have sidewalks, or zucchini, and I've never even seen pistachio butter or come across a cranberry scone let alone one stuffed with cranberries, and to throw the "cell phone" into a "dumpster" would require him to not be in Wales where he might 'Chuck the phone in a skip'. And honestly, when the big bad guy appears he starts talking like a school built from some American kids TV show abs I had to rewind because my eyes were rolling so hard. It's like an irritating jolt every time... Also nobody who plays Pokémon go is going to boast about having 2 lure modules. It read like someone had asked for enough facts about Pokémon to patronise a 6 year old child. AND, I actually know Welsh nuns and they don't eat Bara bloody brith and lamb stew and Welsh cakes every day. You'd be just as likely to find them eating a vegetable bhuna, or a chickpea tagine. By the end of it, it did my head in.

The only saving grace for me, listening on audible, was they actually got a Welsh person to narrate it, unlike many other detective novels set in the UK where the American narrator makes attempts at accents that have my family wetting themselves with laughter.

The book is ok, and probably much more enjoyable if you're American.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sincerely found this novel to be one of the most entertaining new debuts that I've read in quite a while. This book had me laughing, intrigued in the 'mysteries,' and loving the ending. I quickly purchased novel #2 to enjoy later.

The tale follows a worthy Anglican Nun, Sister Agatha (not named after Ms. Christie, although she would have loved that) as she endeavors to be a Nun and a Murder Author too. All too soon, as these things happen, Sister Agatha is faced with a murder right at the Abbey. Following her instincts and her favorite mystery teacher, Agatha gathers her aides and off she heads to 'solve' this crime.

There is something afoot at the Abbey as well. One of the new nuns appears to have a secret and someone is sabotaging the Abbey itself?

As we follow Sister Agatha through murders, arson, and more, the more endearing she becomes to the reader. The lady has spunk! So do the other Sisters and the local Reverends.

I truly enjoyed this book. The characters were fully developed and the location was wonderful. The story line, itself, was intriguing and kept me engaged from the opening to the ending.

I highly recommend this cozy murder mystery.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nuns at Gwenafwy Abbey in a Welsh convent lead calm, contemplative lives while the rest of the world scurries on at an ever faster pace. The author, Jane Willan, does such a delightful job of describing them that I’d love to spend some time there. Each of the sisters has a different task that they excel at, and they work well together, having formed a family of sorts over the years. Now that most of them are ten years from retirement, and hope to live out the rest of their lives in the abbey, things are suddenly turned upside down when the sexton is murdered and the bishop threatens to close the abbey if they don’t find a way to bring in more nuns, help save the planet and make money.

Jane Willan does a great job of bringing this book to life. I got a really good sense of what life is like for the sisters who live there. The mystery was well written and wrapped up nicely.This is one of the best cozy mysteries I have read so far this year, and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. I also liked that the sex and swearing, so prevalent in every book these days, isn’t found in this one.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a new mystery series set in the unlikely setting of a Welsh convent. Sister Agatha fancies herself a mystery writer in the vein of Louise Penny, so when things go awry at the convent, Sister Agatha is on the case. With the help of her friend, Father Selwyn, they work to solve a murder and figure out who is sabotaging their Gouda cheese production, in order to save the convent. I am looking forward to the next installment, I recommend to cozy mystery lovers.

[Tuesdayschild]

I'm counting this as abandoned as I just jumped ahead to find out who'd committed the crime.
Not being conversant with the church structure the author is writing about, I couldn't work out whether this order of nuns was Catholic or not.
ETA: Since found out it’s an Anglican order of Nuns

Extra others might like to know: gambling addiction leads to stealing, the young man murdered was killed just before he and his boyfriend got married.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost had myself convinced that this book was never going to end. With its constant repeating of where the reader was in the story to adding in never ending clues, Jane Willan turned what should have been a delightful first book in a new series into a hopeless case for me.

Sister Agatha, the librarian of Gwenafwy Abbey in Northern Wales is a mystery writer at heart and when an actually murder takes place on the abbey grounds, she turns to the teachings of her favorite podcast and literary heroes. With death and sabotage running amok on the Anglican abbey’s grounds, Sister Agatha with a reluctant Father Selwyn, set out to answer the relentless questions and tackle the suspect list.

Unfortunately, Jane Willan threw too much into this freshman outing of the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. Certain characters could have been saved for subsequent books that would have allowed them to shine; unfortunately, they just faded into the hodgepodge of too much.

[Ellen Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written

Engrossing mystery with incredibly endearing characters in a beautiful setting. A great read that inspired me to visit wales someday!

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. Overall, a decent mystery and enjoyable characters. Though a bit depressing because everything seems to falling apart for the abbey, even though it wasn't involved with the murder. Eventually, everything turned out ok, but for a while, it seemed a little too despairing for a cozy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable mystery.

[Maggies Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan
A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery #1
by Jane Willan
Crooked Lane Books

This murder mystery finds us having a Gouda time in a Welsh town who's local Convent has been slated for destruction if the Nuns can not increase their enrollment status. Amongst this obstacle, Sister Agatha the resident mystery novelist in the making must unravel the mystery of the young Jacob death who was found murdered in their cheese curing room since the authorities believe it a simple accident. With the help of her longtime friend and Priest, Father Selwyn begin a quest to uncover the person or persons who lead young Jacob to his death and to devise a plan on how to save the Abbey from being torn down to make room for a new upscale health spa. This novel is the first in author Jane Willan's, "Sister Agatha & Father Selwyn Mystery" series. In the small community of the Abbey, we find many likable, fun lives that coexist with the changing world while retaining their old world charm, you have found a follower of more Sister Agatha adventures.

#TheShadowOfDeath #NetGalley #Goodreads #BookReview #Maggiesdaisy