The Corporal Works of Murder: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery

Sister Mary Helen #10

by Carol Anne O'Marie

Poor Inspector Gallagher -- his premonition was right. Sister Mary Helen is once more in the middle of a homicide case. Not that she wants to be. No one would envy the poor nun, who finds herself holding a dying young woman -- shot to death in the street almost directly outside the Refuge for homeless women where Mary Helen volunteers. And even while she grieves over the loss of life, Mary Helen spots something odd about the victim. Although she is wearing near-rags, her skin is unblemished and healthy-looking. Her perfect teeth are white and unstained. She doesn't look like a woman whose life has been spent in poverty, in the streets.Mary Helen's feeling is borne out when she discovers that the dead woman was a Vice Department officer trying to find the people responsible for a neighborhood prostitute ring. And in spite of her own conscience warning her, the old nun feels that since the murder happened in front of HER refuge, it is her duty to find the officer's killer. She justifies this by telling herself that her connections with the women who use the Refuge put her in a unique position to get some inside information about what is going on in their neighborhood. After all, isn't one of the Refuge's very own women, Geraldine, the aunt of Junior Johnson? And isn't Junior just about the most powerful and knowledgeable man in the 'hood? So Sister Mary Helen plunges in, determined to find Sarah Spencer's killer. Her "invasion" of the case enrages Inspector Gallagher, but if she is to succeed, his further fury will be well worth Mary Helen's triumph.The police officers assigned to the crimes that turn out to be "hers" might make a case that someone Mary Helen's age is running a serious risk when she deals with criminals and their world. But the delightful old nun has the weapons of her logical mind, and her determination. And just maybe Someone whom she serves is rooting for her. In any case, she is able to work out of perilous situations, come up with commonsense answers, and gather a huge circle of loving fans as she meddles in murder.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2002

About the author

Sister Carol Anne O'Marie, CSJ was a mystery writer and a nun in the St. Joseph of Carondelet religious order.

She wrote eleven novels with the protagonist Sister Mary Helen, an elderly nun who solves crimes. Most of the books are based in San Francisco.

Her final book, Like a Swarm of Bees, is about the origins of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the United States.

Sister Carol Anne O'Marie and Sister Maureen Lyons ran a shelter for homeless women in Oakland, CA.

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great addition to this series about an elderly nun who comes across a lot of dead bodies and helps solve their murder

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sister Mary Helen is a nun who helps out at a women’s Refuge in San Francisco. She is an older nun, a bit overweight but devout in her mission to do the Corporal Works of Mercy – one of them being, to “bury the dead.” Her religious order runs a Refuge for homeless women in one of the seedy areas of San Francisco. Into the Refuge where she works, comes a young pretty “bag lady” who doesn’t fit the traditional picture of a woman needing the refuge. … It turns out she doesn’t. She is shot within a block of leaving the Refuge. Sister Mary Helen rushes to her aid and hears her final word. . It turns out the “bag lady” was an undercover police officer. What is going on? Sister Mary Helen is determined to find out. –The women who come to the Refuge almost every day are an interesting group. (Note: the Refuge is only open during the day. It does offer showers and washing facilities, but no sleeping arrangements.) The author, Sister Carole Anne O’Marie actually works at a similar Refuge –but in Oakland. A good story if a little sparse in detail

[Alton Motobu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy mystery as Sister Mary Helen ignores police warnings to not get involved in investigating three execution-style murders in her neighborhood, especially since two of the victims were undercover officers. There are so many clues early on that by half way through the book the killer is obvious, although the characters in the book do not find out until practically the last page. For some reason Sister Eileen is not part of the story - she is in Ireland - not the same without Sister Eileen's interplay with Sister Mary Helen.

[William Jeanes Memorial Library]

Very clever character and plot development. The killer reveals his mental state at the beginning of the the story. Sister Helen is a volunteer at a women's refuge center in a poor neighborhood, where the patrons show her a different part of survival. Suspense until a final clue is solved by Sister Marie and is an unexpected revelation to the police involved.
-Patron M.D.

[sandy edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

These book never fail to entertain!

Sister Mary Helen is at her finest. Though I do miss Sister Eileen at her side. You will enjoy reading now Sister Mary Helen always seems to be a step of two in front on Detectives Kate & Gallager.

[Cierra Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book! A thrift store find!

[Evelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very slow read - ending apparent

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Mary Helen solves a murder near the shelter at which she volunteers. An entertaining quick read.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sister Mary Helen has retired after decades of teaching. Now she works at a refuge for homeless women. When a young homeless woman is shot doors down from the refuge, Sister Mary Helen hears her whisper the word 'pity' with he dying breathe. It turns out that she was an undercover police woman. Then another undercover officer is killed and the old nun gets hot on the trail despite police warnings.

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the mystery, I did not like the protagonist, for a Nun she's a nasty busy-body, who shows no respect or decorum......

An undercover police woman is murdered, the nun goes out of her way to make trouble for the undercover police officer who is running the Tattoo parlor next to the Rescue Mission.... How stupid is it that the Undercover cop blows his cover to the nun and she in turn blabs & uses his name in public.....

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this one better than some of the others although I'm a little tired of the homeless shelter setting - too depressing. Other plot points were very believable, and SMH's involvement not as contrived. She's become rather like Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher: don't invite them to your town unless you're ready for someone to croak!

[Mary Newcomb]

Sister Mary Helen can't help but be in the middle of a murder investigation. This one seemed fairly simple to resolve (at least for me). Of course I got more information than the investigators did.

[Hapzydeco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a seedy corner of San Francisco this tenth book in the Sister Mary Helen series is a realistic cozy in which a Miss Marple/Jessica Fletcher character becomes the Flying Nun. Although not dull at times the novel had me humming refrains of Joe Zawinul's classic.

[Scott L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little cozy. The solution is not convoluted like a Rex Stout or Agatha Christie; in fact it is almost too easy. But this is really such a pleasant read that one can forgive Sister O'Marie for not being more deceptive.

[Kyrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted something light to counter the nonfiction I've been reading. This however wasn't it. It was clunky, with clues dropped like bricks everywhere. I figured what was going on almost immediately and who long before anyone else did. Not her best work.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent suspense with a fine dash of murder in it. This story will keep you thinking the whole way through, and really helps you to get into Sister Mary Helen's head. Though it might make you want to go volunteer to make others lives better.

[mumto2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

San Francisco

[Marianne Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Mary Helen is wonderful!!!! The perfect combination of humor and suspense.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

a simple mystery but enjoyable