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Christine Bennett #12
The Mother's Day Murder
TRUE CONFESSION--OR FALSE?
Investigator (and former nun) Christine Bennett is appalled when a young woman claims to be the natural daughter of Sister Joseph, beloved Superior at St. Stephen's and Chris's dearest friend. But after the girl is murdered, all the evidence leads the police to believe she was telling the truth--and that Sister Joseph is the prime suspect.
Can evidence ever lie? Chris prays that it can. But as she frantically searches for the link between the anonymous woman who gave away her newborn two decades ago and a brutal murder this Mother's Day, it seems only a miracle can save Sister Joseph from a life behind bars.
From the Paperback edition.
Investigator (and former nun) Christine Bennett is appalled when a young woman claims to be the natural daughter of Sister Joseph, beloved Superior at St. Stephen's and Chris's dearest friend. But after the girl is murdered, all the evidence leads the police to believe she was telling the truth--and that Sister Joseph is the prime suspect.
Can evidence ever lie? Chris prays that it can. But as she frantically searches for the link between the anonymous woman who gave away her newborn two decades ago and a brutal murder this Mother's Day, it seems only a miracle can save Sister Joseph from a life behind bars.
From the Paperback edition.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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143 people want to read
About the author
Lee Harris
105 books77 followersA pseudonym used by Syrell Leahy.
Lee Harris is the author of the mystery novels featuring ex-nun Christine Bennett, who first appeared in The Good Friday Murder, an Edgar Award nominee. She also writes the New York Mysteries, which debuted with Murder in Hell's Kitchen. In 2001, Lee Harris received the Romantic Times magazine Career Achievement Award for her distinguished contribution to crime writing.
Lee Harris is the author of the mystery novels featuring ex-nun Christine Bennett, who first appeared in The Good Friday Murder, an Edgar Award nominee. She also writes the New York Mysteries, which debuted with Murder in Hell's Kitchen. In 2001, Lee Harris received the Romantic Times magazine Career Achievement Award for her distinguished contribution to crime writing.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 27, 2024
3.5***
This is book twelve in the cozy mystery series featuring former nun Christine Bennett. A young novice appears at Chris’s door one evening. She’s come to Chris for help; the novice, Tina, was adopted and thinks she has found her birth mother, but she wants some corroborating evidence before approaching the woman. Before Chris can get answers, however, Tina is murdered, and the police suspect the woman Tina believed to be her mother of committing the crime.
I really like this series. I like Chris Bennett’s careful approach to solving the mysteries that come her way. She’s deliberate and cautious, but she inspires confidence in those she questions. She’s also discreet, careful not to spread rumor and innuendo but wait for facts to back up any suspicions before sharing the information with authorities or others.
I like to read series in order, and this series is best done so because the relationships of the main characters evolve over time. I was “forced” to read this one out of order because my library no longer carries the full series, and I couldn’t wait for inter-library loan. But I will do better about planning ahead in the future.
This is book twelve in the cozy mystery series featuring former nun Christine Bennett. A young novice appears at Chris’s door one evening. She’s come to Chris for help; the novice, Tina, was adopted and thinks she has found her birth mother, but she wants some corroborating evidence before approaching the woman. Before Chris can get answers, however, Tina is murdered, and the police suspect the woman Tina believed to be her mother of committing the crime.
I really like this series. I like Chris Bennett’s careful approach to solving the mysteries that come her way. She’s deliberate and cautious, but she inspires confidence in those she questions. She’s also discreet, careful not to spread rumor and innuendo but wait for facts to back up any suspicions before sharing the information with authorities or others.
I like to read series in order, and this series is best done so because the relationships of the main characters evolve over time. I was “forced” to read this one out of order because my library no longer carries the full series, and I couldn’t wait for inter-library loan. But I will do better about planning ahead in the future.
May 9, 2023
cozy for sure, bit outdated
Another very cozy Christine Bennett story. Somewhat Mother's Day themed. The victim was just trying to find her birth mother and dies on Mother's Day.
As usual, these books are a bit outdated. Especially with this one being published in 2011 I am quite surprised at some of the language and ideas expressed in this book. Like the use of the R word for someone with additional mental health needs. Pretty sure it had been several years that doctors and the general public stopped using that term by the time this book was published. Shame on the author for continuing to use a degrading term.
Another very cozy Christine Bennett story. Somewhat Mother's Day themed. The victim was just trying to find her birth mother and dies on Mother's Day.
As usual, these books are a bit outdated. Especially with this one being published in 2011 I am quite surprised at some of the language and ideas expressed in this book. Like the use of the R word for someone with additional mental health needs. Pretty sure it had been several years that doctors and the general public stopped using that term by the time this book was published. Shame on the author for continuing to use a degrading term.
May 23, 2021
This is a slow book to start but a nice book to read on a wet Sunday afternoon. This is the first book I have read of this collection will read some of the others, hopefully they are at the same pace.
March 18, 2020
Another good one!!! It was nice to learn more about Sister Joseph!
May 9, 2020
I really like this series. I love the Chris and Jack interact and also include sister Joseph.
May 10, 2023
Good! I didn’t guess it was the nun that got kicked out until very late in the book. A-
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2010
12th Chris Bennett maybe best - terrific Sister Joseph plot...
We've had reasonably high praise for all the previous entries in the ex-nun Christine Bennett series, using such words as pleasant and relaxing to describe these consistently nice clean murder puzzlers, many of which hark up events long since past. In this one, the 12th (of 14 so far), the people and tone we consistently like are back, with husband Jack now finished with law school and holding a new administrative position with the police department; and son Eddie now a toddling two-and-a-half years old. We continue to enjoy watching the family grow and mature.
This story features a particularly compelling plot - a little higher level of intrigue than usual increases the suspense and tension right along with the speed at which the pages turn! Early on, a young woman lands at Chris' doorstep professing to be a nun from the old convent with a troubling secret - she is in fact the Mother Superior's actual birth daughter. Chris can hardly believe something this shocking about her mentor and dear friend, Sister Joseph, whom we readers also know quite well from appearances in virtually every tale. After just a couple of days with Chris, the young woman is suddenly murdered at a nearby neighborhood property, and the initial investigation reveals her to be an imposter. To make matters more compelling, the early clues point to Sister Joseph as a potential suspect, even with the police unaware of the secret (that would provide powerful motive) agonizing Chris to explore and unravel. The rest of the story obviously deals with discovering the murderer, not easy, and unearthing the truth about the "daughter" claim, which looks more likely with every passing page. Chris even travels to Ohio (making it sound like Thailand or something!) to look into matters near the time of the victim's birth and supposed adoption, flying and renting cars and such - all pretty foreign to our sheltered leading lady. A great twist at the end only puts more icing on a sweet cake.
So - all the good stuff is back, and to us, a particularly gripping story line makes this perhaps the best Lee Harris to date. Bring on #13!
We've had reasonably high praise for all the previous entries in the ex-nun Christine Bennett series, using such words as pleasant and relaxing to describe these consistently nice clean murder puzzlers, many of which hark up events long since past. In this one, the 12th (of 14 so far), the people and tone we consistently like are back, with husband Jack now finished with law school and holding a new administrative position with the police department; and son Eddie now a toddling two-and-a-half years old. We continue to enjoy watching the family grow and mature.
This story features a particularly compelling plot - a little higher level of intrigue than usual increases the suspense and tension right along with the speed at which the pages turn! Early on, a young woman lands at Chris' doorstep professing to be a nun from the old convent with a troubling secret - she is in fact the Mother Superior's actual birth daughter. Chris can hardly believe something this shocking about her mentor and dear friend, Sister Joseph, whom we readers also know quite well from appearances in virtually every tale. After just a couple of days with Chris, the young woman is suddenly murdered at a nearby neighborhood property, and the initial investigation reveals her to be an imposter. To make matters more compelling, the early clues point to Sister Joseph as a potential suspect, even with the police unaware of the secret (that would provide powerful motive) agonizing Chris to explore and unravel. The rest of the story obviously deals with discovering the murderer, not easy, and unearthing the truth about the "daughter" claim, which looks more likely with every passing page. Chris even travels to Ohio (making it sound like Thailand or something!) to look into matters near the time of the victim's birth and supposed adoption, flying and renting cars and such - all pretty foreign to our sheltered leading lady. A great twist at the end only puts more icing on a sweet cake.
So - all the good stuff is back, and to us, a particularly gripping story line makes this perhaps the best Lee Harris to date. Bring on #13!
December 22, 2014
#12 in the Christine Bennett series. Chris and her neighbor Mel are discussing an acrimonious battle between two other neighbors about the tree roots of one damaging the driveway of the other. Then a novice nun appears on ex-nun Chris' doorstep asking for help and telling a hard to believe story about being the daughter of Chris' mentor Sister Joseph. You instinctively feel that the two plot line will merge and indeed the novice is found shot to death at the base of the chopped down tree. Scenes of Chris' private life with her husband and toddler son provide continuity in this engaging cozy series.
Christine Bennett series - Investigator (and former nun) Christine Bennett is appalled when a young woman claims to be the natural daughter of Sister Joseph, beloved Superior at St. Stephen's and Chris's dearest friend. But after the girl is murdered, all the evidence leads the police to believe she was telling the truth -- and that Sister Joseph is the prime suspect. Can evidence ever lie? Chris prays that it can. But as she frantically searches for the link between the anonymous woman who gave away her newborn two decades ago and a brutal murder this Mother's Day, it seems only a miracle can save Sister Joseph from a life behind bars.
Christine Bennett series - Investigator (and former nun) Christine Bennett is appalled when a young woman claims to be the natural daughter of Sister Joseph, beloved Superior at St. Stephen's and Chris's dearest friend. But after the girl is murdered, all the evidence leads the police to believe she was telling the truth -- and that Sister Joseph is the prime suspect. Can evidence ever lie? Chris prays that it can. But as she frantically searches for the link between the anonymous woman who gave away her newborn two decades ago and a brutal murder this Mother's Day, it seems only a miracle can save Sister Joseph from a life behind bars.
January 4, 2016
This was a quick read, guilty pleasure, need a break from heavy reading mystery. I think I had read it before and still did not figure out the mystery (mysteries?). In my mind that makes it a good mystery. The character is an ex-nun, now married to a cop. Together they have a young child. Part of a series, this book takes place around Mother's Day. The writing felt a little dated. She does most of the child care. The boy has a fairly rigid schedule. She does most of the cooking, although cop husband does make Mother's Day dinner, for example. Yet Chris is bright, energetic and thinks outside the box in order to solve this crime. I wonder where St. Stephens and Oakwood really are…St. Stephens could be based on the College of Mount Saint Vincent, which also has a "Villa" for retired nuns.
September 4, 2016
A novice from St. Stephen's arrives at the door of a former nun asking for help with a problem. She claims she is the biological daughter of Sister Joseph. The former nun must investigate when the girl is murdered.
Interesting premise. However, the former nun asks questions of people that in real world they would not answer, especially without an explanation of the questions. Thought book was too far out there.
Interesting premise. However, the former nun asks questions of people that in real world they would not answer, especially without an explanation of the questions. Thought book was too far out there.
August 6, 2016
I would describe this as a procedural, albeit with a mother of a preschooler describing a step by step uncovering of the facts. I am relatively sure I read this before, years ago, so I guess it did not leave an indelible impression, but I enjoyed going through the process again; it was quite readable.
September 19, 2011
Chris Bennett was one of my favorite amateur detectives. This book was not the best in the
series. It was the 12th in the series and I liked the earlier books much better. However, this
is a great cozy series.
series. It was the 12th in the series and I liked the earlier books much better. However, this
is a great cozy series.
March 2, 2023
This book finds Chris needing to investigate the convent she was from, primarily Joseph. The whole first part of the book is hard to understand without a lot of logical facts that very slowly is revealed through time. Excellent read. I love this series, and the holiday themes.
August 19, 2014
ok, I get it completely
August 16, 2009
It was fun to add Sister Joseph to the list of possible suspects. A fun twist.
Read
February 18, 2019I have read all of Lee Harris's books, some of them more than once, and this is definitely my least favorite. There is too much subterfuge, and Sister Joseph's unwillingness to share information just annoyed me. The plot was just too unbelievable for my taste
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews