A Vow of Compassion

Sister Joan Mystery #10

by Veronica Black

When Mother Dorothy, Prioress of the Order of the Daughters of Compassion, inherits a considerable estate from her godmother, Louisa Cummings, nobody would guess that the death of the old lady will lead to one of Sister Joan's most dangerous and puzzling cases yet. Linked with the mysterious death are an apparent suicide and the disappearance of an abused child.

In the local hospital suspicion and fear stalk the wards and, in the convent high on the Cornish moors, that fear is reflected--for someone is watching and waiting.

With the help of her friend Detective Sargeant Mill, Sister Joan sets out to trap one of the most dangerous of killers, and in the process discovers the true nature of compassion.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, British Literature, Fiction, Crime, Religion

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 1998

About the author

Pseudonym for Maureen Peters

Maureen Peters was born in Caernarvon, Wales, on March 3, 1935, and was married and divorced twice; she has two sons and two daughters. In addition to biographical fiction, historical romances, and mystery novels written under her own name, other noms de plume include Veronica Black, Catherine Darby, Levanah Lloyd, Belinda Grey, Elizabeth Law, Judith Rothman, and Sharon Whitby.

Said Maureen Peters about Sister Joan in an interview, "I chose a nun because they have got a lot of time on their hands. I have friends who are real nuns and they give me information on their lives, but mine’s a bit more unconventional. Every time she goes to a convent, she finds a dead body — Cornwall is littered with them."

Reviews

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother Dorothy’s godmother is having her hip replacement operation in the local hospital and Sister Joan is asked to visit her as it is her turn to do hospital visiting. Unfortunately Louisa Cummings has died unexpectedly of a heart attack though she leaves all her money to Mother Dorothy which helps the convent’s ever depleted coffers. Both Sister Joan and Mother Dorothy are suspicious about the unexpected death and the prioress tacitly sanctions Sister Joan’s enquiries into what really happened.

This is an interesting story in which there will be several more unexplained deaths before Sister Joan, Detective Inspector Alan Mill and Sergeant Petrie manage to work out who is the murderer. Mother Dorothy shows her human side including a delicious sense of humour and trainee guard dog – Alice – proves that intruders may be licked to death rather than bitten.

I have enjoyed all the books in this entertaining series. The characters are believable and the life inside the convent makes for a different background to these well plotted mysteries. If you like your crime and mystery stories without too much on the page violence or bad language then try this series which can be read in any order.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Read

You just can't go wrong with a Veronica Black mystery, especially the Sister Joan series.
Great writing, great characters, awesome plots, and colorful insights into personality. The mysteries twist and turn with each new development or revelation. I thought this one was especially complex, but still clear and easy to follow.
The relationship of "compassion" to each of the characters was well drawn as each one perceives the meaning differently. Of course the Order of Compassion also plays into the story as the Convent Sister Joan is a part of. Even Mother Dorothy is involved! I am not Roman Catholic but I thoroughly enjoy these stories.

[Connie Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next to last in series...

I will miss the adventures of Sister Joan! All the other books, with the exception of #9, held my attention. This one was most intriguing. I have felt that the Sister Joan mysteries would make an interesting pbs series. One more to go.....

[Pam Bales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sister Joan, Book 10, a nice cozy read with Cornish Sister Joan helping to solve a murder.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Vow of Compassion by Veronica Black is the 10th book of the Sister Joan mystery series set in late 20th-century Cornwall. Sister Joan is frequently admonished by her fellow nuns to find something useful to do. They send her on errands to the hospital, for instance, where she becomes suspicious of a recent death. Little details don't seem quite right. Subsequent unexpected deaths make her doubly curious. Then an abused little girl disappears, as well as one of her acquaintances from the gypsy camp. Seemingly unrelated events, yet Sister Joan believes they must be linked, if only she can find the pattern. Red herrings abound, and it takes a few more murders before she nails the culprit.

[Miriel68 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The motivation of the murderer was a bit far-fetched (not for the first time in the series!), and the ending was a bit melodramatic, but it was one of the more enjoyable ones, nonetheless. I think that at this point, the author could drop the explanation about the sisters' diet and furniture in the convent since it has been hammered to the readers in all the volumes repeatedly, but I didn't mind them that much.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I really didn't see that coming! This was the best one yet for not giving anything away. I really did not expect the ending. My usual argument stands regarding the amount of freedom a Nun would be given, but it does make entertaining reading.

[Susan A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging murder mystery

Very engaging mystery for Sr. Joan and Inspector Mill to uncover even as life in the convent is intruded on my the mystery and a murder that personally affects the Mother Superior.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent gripping read

[L Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good mystery. Loving this series about the Sisters of Compassion and how things work in a religious community.

[Philomena Prendergast · Rating 3 out of 5]

crime story

Story ok but characters not really believable. Could have been fleshed out a bit more. Nuns least believable on all

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely quick read but a good story none the less. I have really come to love these characters even if the setting is somewhat austere.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series. Always an interesting read

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

St. Keyn's Cottage hospital seems to have a spate of unexplained deaths. Sister Joan and DS Mill are suspicious. Is there a serial killer in the area or are the deaths accidents.
Another enjoyble cozy modern mystery
Originally published 1997

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

Sister Joan has hit her stride with this one! I like this series, but it's a hit or miss. Sometimes it's just great and well sometimes it's just not.

[Catherine Matsubu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potentially good read

Just too many people involved doing similar things! It dosen't usually happen to me, especially in your books MS Black. Promise it won't stop me from reading more of your stories!

[Kristi Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder mystery, part of a series about a modern sleuthing nun. Nicely done, will have to look for more in the series.

Detectives are always a bit unusual, employment-wise. Either they're a police officer , lawyer, PI or something logical like that, or they're something highly unlikely: a long-ago monk, nun, antique dealer... Has anyone ever written a book about a sleuthing executive or 7-11 clerk? I suppose making it something too familiar would underscore how unlikely it is that this non-detective person would get involved in all these murders.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sister Joan of the Daughters of Compassion order located in Cornwall mystery. In this novel there are a series of deaths, all easily explainable, at the local hospital. Because one of the deaths is the godmother of Mother Dorothy, the head of Sister Joan's convent, Sister Joan starts looking more closely into what is going on. There are a number of twists as well as several possible suspects before things are finally unraveled.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last of the books that I own and my library does not have the last one. ( A Vow of Evil) I enjoyed this book more than the previous ones and wish I could finish the series.

[Ishki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick mystery fix.

[Ang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for a work book club. Meh to the mehth degree.

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather lightweight, but entertaining mystery. When people start dying in the hospital, Sister Joan takes an active interest in assisting Detective Sergeant Mill with finding out why.