Jane Willan’s The Hour of Death will be a Christmas delight for fans of G. M. Malliet, set on an island in Wales. Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn make sleuthing a work of art. But will they paint themselves into a corner when they investigate the Village Art Society president’s death?As Yuletide settles upon Gwenafwy Abbey, the rural Welsh convent’s peace is shattered when Tiffany Reese, … is shattered when Tiffany Reese, president of the Village Art Society, is found dead on the floor of the parish hall. Sister Agatha, whose interests lie more with reading and writing mystery stories than with making the abbey’s world-renowned organic gouda, is not shy about inserting herself into the case. With the not-entirely-eager assistance of Father Selwyn, she begins her investigation.
Sister Agatha has no shortage of suspects to check off her naughty-or-nice list, until finally, Tiffany’s half-brother, Kendrick Geddings, emerges as the prime suspect. There never was any love lost between Tiffany and Kendrick, and of late they had been locked in a vicious battle for control of the family estate. But if Sister Agatha thinks she has the case wrapped up, she’ll have to think again.
As the days of Advent tick by, Sister Agatha is determined to crack the case by Christmas in The Hour of Death, Jane Willan’s perfectly puzzling second Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery.
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I chose the Hour of Death by Jane Willan when it became available through a cozy mystery group I follow. I was selected as a reviewer and received a copy of the book earlier this month. It is the second in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series written about crimes occurring in a small Welsh town’s church. I usually try to read a book series in order, but I didn’t have time to get a copy of the first book before this one; however, based on how much I enjoyed the second book, I’ll definitely read the first one early next year.
At first, I was apprehensive. Sister Agatha is very detailed, a bit repetitive, and leans toward the rambling side of life… but after about 20% into the story, it was these same qualities that began to entice me-her support of the American visiting Wales, the energy she puts into writing mysteries, the care she took of her fellow nuns… I found myself thinking of her as methodical, open-minded, and very curious. She had a few endearing moments where I realized I was suddenly in full support of her role and focus on solving what no one else believed to be an actual crime. When Tiffany, the president of an art society in the village, was found dead, everyone thought it was a heart attack. Sister Agatha convinced Father Selwyn that was only one of the possible outcomes, and she sought out potential suspects despite nothing seeming obvious. By one third into the book, she had five believable candidates to analyze.
Willan’s writing style is easy and flows well. Her characters are vivid and likable for the most part. A few were meant to be frustrating, and that’s a good thing to have in these types of books. As I got to know the various nuns, priests, townsfolk, and strangers, I wished I had read the books in order, as I would’ve had a different thought on a few of the characters. I might have felt more connected to them, too, but all-in-all, they were well-drawn, felt appropriately embedded in the plot, and showed lots of possible red herrings or truths to keep us guessing.
As I finished the story, I found myself very fond of the setting (and that cover, gorgeous!) and with a strong interest to keep reading more of the series. My only items of constructive feedback would be to spend a little less time repeating and wrapping up why someone could be a suspect and instead use that information to provide additional motives or character actions that show us why they could be the killer. A few times, I thought… ‘hmm, we’ve talked about this several times already’ — it was minor but kept me from giving it a full 5-stars. I ended up with 4.5 stars and I’ll split the ratings across all the platforms between 4’s and 5’s.
I really look forward to getting a copy of the first book and reading future ones. Thanks for a great new series!
The Hour of Death by Jane Willan is a cozy mystery set in modern day England. The author sets the time around Christmas, leading up to Christmas day as a small Welsh town prepares for the Yuletide celebrations. The author paints a picture of peace and tranquility that is shattered in more ways than one. A company is looking to develop the land around the quiet village, and then murder comes in to shock all who live there. The murder victim is well known but not well liked. A nun, Sister Agatha, when she learns of the crime is quick to descend upon the scene. Despite the local constable declaring the death “not a crime” Sister Agatha is determined to prove that it is.
The Hour of Death is an interesting mystery novel. For me, initially, I was worried that it would not hold my interest. The beginning pace was slow, and the story was slow to warm up and really get into gear. Gradually though the story begins to pick up steam and the pieces and players start to come together. Danger is afoot for one of the characters and it seems that someone is stalking her. The interactions between the characters are engaging as they work to piece together what really happened to the woman whose life was tragically ended. I appreciate how suspenseful the story is and how the author keeps me trying to figure out who did it. I love being able to piece together who the bad guy(s) is/are but the author kept me guessing with this book.
There isn’t much that I don’t like about this book. I felt that the beginning was slow going, but I like that it gets engaging after a while. There are a couple minor editorial errors in the story, but nothing so egregious that it is totally distracting from the storyline. The author gives the reader a satisfying ending overall. I was hoping for some conclusion or further information concerning the developer building outside the village, but as that is not crucial to the story, the author leaves that out.
Overall, I enjoyed this intriguing who-done-it cozy mystery. Sister Agatha is an engaging character who aspires to emulate many famous detectives, though I was rankled at the dig at Jessica Fletcher. I appreciate how she never stopped digging, searching, working to piece together the complicated puzzle that was this mystery. She is absolutely a dynamic character. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. The author weaves a story that is hard to put down and that pulls you as the characters work to solve a crime and uncover long buried secrets.
The Hour of Death by Jane Willan is second story in A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. We return once again to Pryderi, Wales and the nuns who reside at Gwenafwy Abbey. Tiffany Reese, president of Village Art Society, is found dead in the parish hall. The police have not ruled it a homicide and Sister Agatha disagrees with their assessment. Sister Agatha dreams of becoming a mystery writer and investigating real cases will aid her writing. With the assistance of her fellow nuns and Father Selwyn, Sister Agatha sets out to get answers.
The Hour of Death can be read alone if you have not read The Shadow of Death. The backstory for Sisters Agatha and her fellow nuns is provided in the book. I like that Sister Agatha actively investigates the mystery by questioning townspeople and searching for clues. There are quirky characters and a unique abbey. The nuns are encouraged to pursue personal interests (when they reach a certain age) such as Sister Agatha’s desire to write mystery novels. She is the librarian for the abbey as well and aids them in making their gouda when she must (not her favorite pastime). While the book contains good writing, the pace is sluggish. I also felt The Hour of Death was disjointed and rambling. I had a hard time wadding through this cozy mystery. The mystery was interesting with several suspects and misdirection. Sister Agatha’s method come across as bumbling, and I began to wonder if she would ever stumble upon the killer’s identity. The way the story is laid out makes it slightly more difficult to solve, but it can be done long before the solution is revealed at the end. My rating for The Hour of Death is 3 out of 5 stars. I wanted to give this series a second opportunity and, which I did, learned that I am not the right audience for A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series. That, though, is the beauty of books. There is something for everyone.
The Hour of Death by Jane Willan is the second book in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mystery series. I hadn’t read the first book in this series but didn’t have any problems with reading this one. Ms. Willan introduced all of the characters with some background information so that I didn’t feel lost.
The plot is smoothly paced with twists that kept Sister Agatha bumbling along as she was sure that Tiffany Reese had been murdered while the local constable and coroner felt the death was by natural causes. Ms. Willan’s descriptive writing and details about the Gwenafwy Abbey and the village of Pryderi helped to make me feel like I was experiencing the Welsh highlands the village first hand. All in all it was a satisfying read and I enjoyed spending time Sister Agatha, the sisters of the convent and Father Selwyn.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books as a member of the Cozy Mystery Review Crew. All of the above opinions are my own.
The crime fighting duo of Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn is back again to solve a murder in the little Welsh village of Pryderi, and boy are they a great team! She who likens herself to Stephanie Plum on a stakeout, and he who never yells (well, except during the World Cup and at the Great British Bake Off) set out discover who killed the church’s lead soprano before Christmas, even when the local constabulary doesn’t believe there’s been a murder. Add in some art fraud, a secret long thought buried, and a ruthless politician, and you’ve discovered the loveliness that is Jane Willan’s second cozy mystery – The Hour of Death. Perfectly written and perfect with a nice pot of Welsh brew (and maybe some Welsh rarebit with a slice of Heavenly Gouda), this book will keep the reader enthralled from first page to last. I adore my British cozies, and The Hour of Death has just become one of my faves!
amateur-sleuth, cosy-mystery, women-sleuths, wales
The characters are so clearly presented that I would recognize them at a gathering! Sister Agatha is marvelous and her thought processes are clear and usually on target while Father Selwyn makes a perfect sounding board. The local constable thinks that she is seeing murder where none exists, but there are other malignant things going on as well as all of the Advent fun and an amazing sudden overabundance of orders for the convent’s special cheese. No spoilers here! An excellent cosy!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley.
The Hour Of Death is the second book in the A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery series.
I have loved the first two books in this entertaining series. At Gwenafwy Abbey, the older nuns are also allowed to live their dreams and Sister Agatha’s is to be a mystery writer. Sister Agatha and her investigating partner, Father Selwyn, make a dynamic duo and when Sister Agatha might need to be reined in a bit, Father Selwyn is there to get her to back off. The nuns of Gwenafwy Abbey are there to give her support, too. I particularly enjoy how Sister Agatha, will take time to think what Rupert McFarland, a mystery author whose podcasts Sister Agatha faithfully listens to, would do.
The story starts as Sister Agatha is heading to a meeting in the nearby village of Pryderi for a meeting with fellow librarians when she notices flashing blue lights and becomes concerned that something has happened to Father. But she soon learns that Tiffany Reese has been found dead in the parish hall where she had been putting the final touches on a village art show that would start later that day. But Constable Barnes, who Sister Agatha knows lacks investigative skills, and Dr. Hedin Beese has ruled that Reese has died of a heart attack. What suggests a foul play for Sister Agatha is the fact that the painting that Reese was going to have in the art show is missing.
There is no real evidence that Reese was in fact murdered but, Sister Agatha along with help of Father Selwyn set out to find evidence to prove her right. Sister Agatha soon finds out that Reese wasn’t well liked and that there are quite a few suspects. What with many of residents of the village not sharing all they know make Sister’s work that more difficult. The author provides an exciting ending and the story kept me guessing until the end.
Another wonderful story from Ms. Willan and I’m looking forward to the next book in this enjoyable series.
This is my first Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mystery! Author Jane Willan has really set up quite a mystery in the little village surrounding Saint Anselm’s. So many suspects and so little time before Christmas! The clues are in abundance yet seem to take a turn as yet another suspect is added or deleted from Sister Agatha’s purple notebook.
I do enjoy a good mystery and this one has a lot to offer. The writing is so descriptive I could easily see myself sitting in the back booth at the Buttered Crust for a cup of Glengettie tea and a cranberry scone. In the end, all is neatly tied, minus the bow on a Christmas package. No spoilers here but I will recommend this book without hesitation to anyone who enjoys a mystery. The setting in Wales at Christmas is just a bonus! I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book I’ve read by this author. I liked the first one, “The Shadow of Death”, but I think “The Hour of Death” is even better. Jane Willan has a real talent for creating believable characters. Sister Agatha is especially fascinating as nun/amature sleuth, two vocations one wouldn’t expect to go together. With Sister Agatha, it works. She’s intelligent, determined, quick-witted, and courageous, a bit opinionated, and devoted to her faith. Father Selwyn, a bit more laid-back (except for his white knuckle driving!), but equally astute is the perfect side-kick for the intrepid nun.
The story’s plot is tight and well-paced. I was trying to solve the murder along with Sister Agatha and, like Sister Agatha, many times I thought I knew who dunnit, but nope! There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.
Until now, I’ve never been much of a fan of cozy mysteries, but this book really had me hooked. It was fun, witty – a delight to read. After two Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mysteries, I’ve grown very fond of the characters, especially the nuns of Gwenafwy Abbey. Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn make a great team, but don’t dismiss the Abbey’s nuns. They can be a feisty bunch when they need to be!
I’m now officially a fan of Jane Willan. Can’t wait for her next one.