Sister Agatha

Once she was Professor Mary Naughton, investigative reporter, teacher, and free spirit. Now she is Sister Agatha of Our Lady of Hope, a cloistered, financially-struggling monastery in New Mexico. As an extern-a nun who handles her order's dealings with the outside world-she is used to having her faith and newly-acquired patience tested. But, when popular chaplain Father Anselm is poisoned to death in the middle of Mass, Sister Agatha has to bring all her worldly skepticism and savvy instincts to uncover the truth before scandal and unjust suspicion destroy Our Lady of Hope's future. She's up against a hostile local sheriff, an ex-lover who's never forgiven her for 'abandoning' their life together. She's got no shortage of suspects-with-secrets outside-and inside-the monastery. And, she'll have to race the clock to stop one remorseless murderer before there's more hell to pay...

Sister Agatha is one of two extern nuns in the cloistered order at the Our Lady of Hope Monastery near the small desert town of Bernalillo, New Mexico. An investigative journalist before entering the monastery, now, as an extern it is Sister Agatha's role to be the link between her cloistered sisters and the outside world. It is the skills from both her past and current lives that she must bring to the task assigned to her by the Archbishop of her diocese. At a former monastery, closed and sold by the diocese and now operating as a hotel and business retreat, there are a series of mysterious goings on. Several valuable pieces of southwestern folk art owned by the diocese and left on loan in the retreat have been stolen and replaced by replicas. After an art expert was called in to verify the remaining collection, he too disappeared without a trace. And then, there is the ghost - the restless spirit rumored to wander the halls of the resort. At the request of the Archbishop, Sister Agatha's must now discreetly investigate the doings at the former monastery and make sure that an unwanted scandal is not about to engulf the diocese. But she soon learns that something even more sinister than a ghost is loose in the retreat and it is up to Sister Agatha to unravel the puzzle before the consequences turn deadly.

Sister Agatha is an extern nun in the cloistered order at the Our Lady of Hope Monastery near a small New Mexican desert town. As such, Sister Agatha is the link between her cloistered sisters and the outside world. Usually this means running errands in the monastery's slowly dying car (dubbed the Anti-Chrystler) or their motorcycle, with Pax, the order's German Shepard, in the sidecar. But sometimes it means something a bit more, like now when the diocese is upset by reports of a young girl whose parents claim is receiving visitations from the Virgin Mary and providing insight into future events. Wanting neither to ignore a real miracle, nor give credence to what might be merely an attempt to defraud the faithful, they ask Sister Agatha to investigate. But, her inquires are soon complicated when the girl herself disappears, apparently having been kidnapped, and Sister Agatha will need more than faith to bring her home.

Our Lady of Hope Monastery can't catch a break. Situated in rural New Mexico, the cloistered monastery squeaks by on donations and various craft and skilled jobs suited to their cloistered, contemplative life. But, when a stolen SUV crashes through their outside walls, they are faced with financial demands that far exceed their means. So, when a major donor offers a great deal of money for what seems a simple task, they are quick to accept. The very ill John Gutierrez is looking for his estranged niece, believed to be in the area, and having heard of Sister Agatha, the extern nun, and her investigative skills, he turns to them for help. All Sister Agatha has to do is track down the woman, and the monastery's financial worries will be over. But, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Sister Agatha's investigation quickly lands her in the midst of a deadly situation, and it's up to her to uncover the truth before it all takes a deadly turn for everyone involved.

Our 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 Reverend Mother weren't enough, there's also the increasingly dangerous sounding threats that arrive at the monastery. 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?

She needs nothing short of a miracle… Sister Agatha lies on her deathbed. But as she takes her final breath, the 124-year-old nun experiences a vision. At the Pearly Gates, St Peter will only allow her entry into heaven if she can atone for her past wrongdoings. And so, the Irish nun is given a divine new mission: to return to earth and honour four unsung heroes. Accompanied by a stray Labrador, Sister Agatha embarks on a globe-spanning pilgrimage from Salem to Iceland, Turkey to Crete, meeting actors, activists and accidental sinners along the way. Each encounter brings laughter, chaos and several miracles – as well as the occasional crime or two. Back at the convent, the Mother Superior confronts the press, social media scandals and her own disbelief: is the world's most famous nun truly who she claims to be? Full of wit and wicked delight, Sister Agatha at the Pearly Gates is a joyful, life-affirming journey about faith, friendship and finding purpose when heaven itself has other plans. Perfect for fans of Jonas Jonasson and Richard Osman, this hilarious follow-on proves that it's never too late for one last adventure – even in the afterlife!