False Witness

Sister Agatha #4

by Aimée Thurlo, David Thurlo

Situated in rural New Mexico, Our Lady of Hope Monastery squeaks by on donations and various craft and skilled jobs suited to the nuns’ cloistered, contemplative life. When a stolen SUV crashes through their outside walls, Our Lady’s budget goes through the roof. So it seems like divine intervention when an ailing millionaire asks Sister Agatha—the extern nun whose investigative skills have earned her points in Heaven—to find his long-estranged niece. All Sister Agatha has to do is track down the woman, and the monastery’s financial worries will be over. But at what cost? Sister Agatha’s investigation quickly lands her in the midst of a deadly situation…and now it’s going to take more than faith alone to see that justice is done.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 2007

About the author

Aimee and David Thurlo are the authors of the Ella Clah mysteries, the Sister Agatha mysteries, the Lee Nez vampire novels all set in New Mexico. David grew up on the Navajo Indian Nation, and Aimee, a native of Cuba, lived in the southwest for forty years.

Aimée passed away peacefully at her home on the morning of February 28, 2014, after a brief struggle with cancer and related complications. She was attended by her husband of 43 years, David. Aimée was 62 years old.

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cozy was not a mystery of great importance. There was no blood, guts or gore. The writing was not great but the plot was sufficiently interesting. What it did have is a lot of Catholic rhetoric being presented by a very likable character who rides around on a motorcycle with her well trained and lovable German Shepherd named Pax in the sidecar. When she does not scoot about town on the motorcycle, she drives a battered station wagon called the Antichrysler (ok, THAT made me laugh out loud). Sister Agatha investigates stuff and solves old crimes. She is sunshine and daisies and I kept picturing Sally Fields as the Flying Nun revving up the Hog and wearing goggles.

Someone who wants a mystery without all the carnage that usually accompanies this genre, someone who wants a cozy liberally sprinkled with religion. That is who will love this book. The reason I continued reading has nothing to do with any of the above. What captured me is that the setting is the town in New Mexico where my father grew up, where his parents moved the family after my grandmother developed a lung disorder and was ordered to move to drier climates. I doubt many people have ever heard of Bernalillo but that alone was enough for me to keep reading. I don't know that I will go looking for any more of the Sister Agatha mysteries but if another found its way to me, I am sure I would take a look at it. Bernalillo is a neat place. (there's a great café there that serves awesome Huevos Rancheros)

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors were suggested by a friend who knows how much I love New Mexico. I loved the Harley, Pax, the Antichrysler, and the Monastery. It was a good mystery and Sister Agatha was fun. Interesting to see another way of life and interesting how the writer handled the thoughts of the robed characters. I want to read more of the series.

[EmmyT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps Getting Better

Like the earlier books in the series, these mysteries are cozy and peaceful. Full of likeable characters, suspense and sometimes blessings. Fun, easy read with heart.

[Ray York · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Witness

Sister Agatha is back on her Harley Davidson with her partner PAX. This is another good mystery read in the fourth book of a six book series. Looking forward to book five.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, sweet, predictable. The monastary is in financial need, the nun rides the motorcycle with the big police dog, yadayadayada crime doesn't pay but prayer does.

[Bratty]

Stressful and unpleasant. Well-written and suspenseful. The bad guy is really really bad, making it difficult for me to get through.

[Heather Bergeron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark

[Mary Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister Agatha juggles multiple problems in this engaging tome. One is an auto "accident" that wrecks the monestary's front gates; the second involves a hacker in the scriptorium that threatens a major bread-and-butter account; the third involves a proposal ...that Sister Agatha turn private eye to find someone who had once entered witness protection, where motives are terrifyingly ambiguous; and the fourth involves Sister Bernarda's struggles with a broken heart as she passes through the final stages of menopause. Frequently stopping to put God's agenda first, Sister Agatha manages, with the help of her fellow nuns, her Reverend Mother, and Sherrif Tom, to get a decent handle on all the problems.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not a Catholic, but even if I were, I think I would find all the cutesy, supposedly shocking portrayals of nuns who ride motorcycles or do electrical work, just a little too silly to buy. Maybe if it had been written in the 1950s, but 2007? What planet are these authors living on? Does this stuff sell?

[Leslie North · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this one on the drive to the All Northwest Music conference.
This is my second book from this Sister Agatha Mystery series. Its a fast, easy, fun read but very formula. Perfect for traveling

[Wendroz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this light entertainment. The nun solving mystery is easy to read and entertains.

[Mascanlon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read,Sister Agatha is charming and no nonsense as she goes about town on her Harley-Davidson with retired police dog Pax in the side car.

[Nancy Savonick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just when I thought I'd read all the mysteries with a nun as the detective, I discovered the Thurlos. Good reading, and a fascinating look at a lifestyle I'll never understand.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find this murder mystery series so calming which sounds wierd. But the quiet, spiritual life of the nun monastery overpowers the hunt for the murderer. I will continue to read this series.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle mystery... though suspenseful and complete with clues and hints. Gotta love a monastery with a Harley and a station wagon called "The Antichrysler".

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

hurrah for sister agatha.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new series for the couple who write the Ella Clah series--this one with a sleuthing nun--very good. THis one is not as good as Bad Faith

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun fast read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Agatha

[ChrisGA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourth in the series. Good cozy mystery with interesting character.

[Thea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good weekend read.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book if you want to know about nuns. A little to churchy for most of us. It does show that nuns have moved into the twenty-first century as they are making a living using computers and riding motorcycles. I was hoping it was a murder but it was a computer hacker type mystery. I still enjoyed it and of course God provides a happy ending.