The Prodigal Nun

Sister Agatha #5

by David Thurlo, Aimée Thurlo

"Thief in Retreat is a thoroughly absorbing, sharply drawn story with a protagonist who is courageous, intelligent, and endearing. Sister Agatha, with her restored Harley Davidson motorcycle and ex-police dog, Pax are a dynamite team that's hard to beat… I eagerly await Sister Agatha's next adventure." – Earlene Fowler, author of Delectable Mountains"Aimee and David Thurlo's nimble plotting leaves readers turning pages while Our Lady of Hope Monastery's compelling characters draw you into their richly textured world. Sister Agatha is a blessing and you'll believe in Prey for a Miracle!" --Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of To Darkness and to DeathOur Lady of Hope is an aging monastery run by a cloistered order in rural New Mexico. Perennially cash-strapped for needed repairs and maintenance, when the local diocese offers to pay for a new water well it is, well, a godsend. But there's a catch – in return, they want the monastery to house a novice nun from a different order who needs a place to stay locally while she teaches at the Catholic school and an order to take responsibility for her while she's there. And Sister Josephine – Sister Jo as she likes to be called – is a handful. Loud, boisterous, free with her opinions, inappropriate, impulsive and snores loud enough to wake the dead, the young nun doesn't fit in well with the contemplative order and the older nuns of Our Lady of Hope.If the teeth-grinding of the older nuns and the repetitive deep sighs of the Reverand Mother weren't enough, there's also the increasingly dangerous sounding threats that arrive at the monestary. Since Sister Agatha has been involved in her fair share of investigations, there's no lack of people who might harbor a grudge against her. But is she really the target? And is Sister Jo – who arrived right before the threats began – somehow entangled in this increasingly dangerous web?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Westerns

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

David Thurlo, is co-author of the Ella Clah series, the Lee Nez series of Navajo vampire mysteries, and the Sister Agatha novels. His other works, co-written with his wife Aimée, include Plant Them Deep, a novel featuring Rose Destea, the mother of Ella Clah, and The Spirit Line, a young adult novel.
David was raised on the Navajo Reservation and taught school there until his recent retirement. He left Shiprock briefly to complete his education at the University of New Mexico.He lives in Corrales, New Mexico, and often makes appearances at area bookstores.

David and Aimée Thurlo were married for forty-three years. Aimée, born in Havana, Cuba, died in February 2014.

The Thurlos' novels, translated into many different languages, are available around the world.

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books, and I love the nuns and their dog Pax. The mystery is always interesting and there is always more going on than meets the eye. And I love a good faith read - where the characters' faith is as much a part of them as breathing in and out. I always come out wanting to be a better person.

[Karen Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book "The Prodigal Nun" by Aimee and David Thurlo is part of the Sister Agatha series. A very well crafted tale featuring a nun, retired police dog, a Harley with side car, and a New Mexico setting. The reader should think about the research into the Catholic faith and how it was incorporated into the book and well presented. copy right 2008 302 pages

[Connie Whitcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good New Mexico mystery.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

After early morning Mass, the body of a lady who usually attends this service is found in the parking lot of the church. Why would anyone want to kill this middle aged faithful woman? The church is located in a monistary of cloistered nuns. There are a few nuns, who are called externs, who are not colistered and do the business of the monistary. Among these nuns is Sister Agatha, who has helped the local sheriff of this New Mexico area solve crimes in the past. Sister Agatha decides to help the sheriff and begins by checking out the lady who was murdered. She finds out this lady was not as nice as she appeared. Mrs. Sanchez was difficult to get along with and she hated her son-in-law, a deputy sheriff. In fact, she was trying to ruin his marriage. After Sister Agatha begins her investigation there are several threats against the monistary and someone even attempts to kill a couple of the nuns.
This is an average mystery book, but I did find the parts about the monistary interesting as I know nothing about them. And it is a little difficult to believe that a sheriff would allow a nun help him this much in a murder investigation.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, but nothing special. The convent was a setting, but I didn't feel that was any different from other settings (such as mystery series set around cooking or crafts) rather than having religion be a real part of the story.
I will probably read other Sister Agatha books because it was well written and held my attention.

[ChrisGA · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sisters of the monastery continue to struggle with supporting themselves and maintaining their peace while attacked by unknown hostile people. Still enjoyed the mixture of mystery and quiet faith.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest in the Sister Agatha Mystery series. Enjoyable!

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series. Kind of quirky and fun - including a car call the Antichrysller and a Harley and a dog!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

totally cheesy but I liked the discipline of the nuns mixed into the story.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really like the characters and view into life of nuns in a cloister

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intricate plot, Sister Agatha's investigation and intuition prevails again.

[Mary Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serpentine!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love this series. Nothing like a mixture of mystery and faith.

[Lisa Corathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this was more like the Sister Agatha series I've come to enjoy. Still love that Antichrysler!

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good fast read.

[Alexandra Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stepped into the middle of this series. I would like to start at the beginning, to get to know the characters. It was a fun, easy read

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of simple, no real challenge to this read.

[Leslie North · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery - with that Catholic mystic spin

[Janet Suarino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sister manages to solve another crime.