“Death goes on Retreat” by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie

“Death goes on Retreat” by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie
1995, Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0-385-31047-1

I’ve always been a great fan of the religious. Once upon a time I aspired to be one, but those were girlhood dreams and were a long time ago. My husband and I have been married over 30 years and I morphed in my middle age into a psychic, so, presumably I am as far away from being a nun as I could possibly be. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t still be a fan.

This is a mystery with nuns at the center of the tale. It’ called, “Death goes on Retreat” and it was written by Sister Carol Anne O’Marie. A co-worker told me about her because she had recently passed on in May of 2009. She helped to co-found and run a homeless shelter for women in Oakland called A Friendly Place. Sister was from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet religious order.

Central to “Death goes on Retreat” is Sister Mary Helen who is an elderly nun on retreat who somehow becomes involved in a murder investigation. While the detectives come to investigate Sister Mary Helen and her friend Sister Eileen begin their own investigation. They have already gained a bit of notoriety as sleuths in another murder and so know how to ask the right questions.

The story lets you peek into the lives of the clergy, the priests and nuns in the story. It also shines with love and compassion. It’s one of those books to read when you’ve grown tired of sirens and serial killers and mass murder.

Curl up and pick up one of Sister O’Marie’s books. She wrote 11 of them. Your library should have at least one of them for you to read. Mine did.