Blessed Is The Busybody (Ministry Is Murder Mystery)

Emile Richards has written a great first book in this new series. The protanganist is Aggie (short for Agate), the wife of a Unitarian minister who lives in a small college town in Ohio along with their two young daughters. Life as a minister's wife is not always easy, Aggie and her family are always on display, but they are liking small town living except for the fact that a wealthy, despotic member of the congregation has taken a dislike to Aggie's husband Ed and wants him gone. A young woman is murdered and left naked on the front doorstep of the parsanage and the body is discovered by the Ladies Society on the way to inspect the parsonage. Ed had been counseling the young woman, new to the town, but he can't reveal what she told him. Aggie is very worried that Ed may be the prime murder suspect and decides to investigate the murder. The plot involves Aggie's attempts to solve the mystery of who killed this young woman and why, and she presists in her investigations even though the handsome Greek detective, Roussos, keeps telling her to stay out of it. Aggie is assisted by her best friend Lucy, a realtor, who has access to information that Aggie can use in her investigation. The author does a great job with the dialog, the characters' descriptions, and the ambiance of small town life and the secrets of the people who live there. The mystery is well written and the plot is slowly revealed until the complex yet satisfying ending. I look forward to reading more books about Aggie and her family and the mysteries she solves.

You sometimes find the first in a series somewhat lacking, not here. This book was very enjoyable, good mystery, great characters that I would like to get to know better, and nice storyline. Highly recommended.

Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her family had recently relocated to Emerald Springs, OH. Her husband, Ed, is the pastor of Consolidated Community Church. When a naked body is discovered on their front porch, outspoken Gelsey Falowell works even harder to turn everyone against Ed and have him and his family removed. At first no one knows who the dead woman is. It is soon discovered that Jennifer, the murdered woman, had come to Ed for counseling recently. The worst part is that Ed refuses to disclose to anyone, including the police, what she needed counseling for. This makes him a suspect in her death. Aggie and her best friend Lucy begin to look into Jennifer's life. Detective Kirkor Roussos doesn't look to kindly on their meddling. Neither does Ed or the church congregation. And most importantly, neither does Gelsey. Can Aggie discover the truth and find the real killer before Ed is fired and without putting herself in danger? This is the first in this delightful series. I can't wait to read more. Aggie is such an enjoyable character. Even their daughters Teddy and Deena are believable characters. The location is a great small town in America. The church and community really add to the story. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one! Please check out my website: www.mysteryloverscorner.com

I usually don't start reading mystery series until several books have been published, but because I am such a fan of Emilie Richards's other book, I picked up this one . . . and almost regret it because I want to read the next few books in the series this afternoon and they haven't been published yet. The characters are ideal for a series because there is so much to explore about each. Aggie's parents (whom we didn't meet this time)are going to be interesting and funny. Ed (the minister-husband) is presented through nuanced details, and I am eager to spend more time with him. Although he is admirable, he is not a cardboard saint. He is an interesting man, and his profession is only one part of that. The heroine has a wonderfully funny, occasionally ironic voice. You want to be her friend. This author has an expansive imagination, and her other books are therefore long (but never boring). So a series seems a perfect canvas for her.

Relocating to Emerald Springs, Ohio Aggie Sloan-Wilcox, the wife of the Minister of the Consolidated Community Church, misses the excitement of their previous home in the DC area. Still Aggie loves and supports her spouse Ed, is a good mother to their daughters Deena and Teddy and cares for the members of the congregation who consider her a likable eccentric; all that is except septuagenarian town leader Lady Gelsey Falowell who disrespects the Wilcox family. Hearing Sally Berrigan scream, Aggie rushes outside her home to see on her front porch a dead naked female covered somewhat by a granny square knitted by Aggie's mother during a short singles stage between spouse three and four. Detective Kirkor Roussos heads the investigation in which Teddy mentions that her spouse had a public altercation with the deceased just yesterday. Everyone including Kirk theorizes that even a saint like Ed could go over the top when dealing with an insulting maniac like the victim. Everyone that is except Aggie, who knows her husband the pacifist, could not hurt a fly. She plans to prove she is right by uncovering the identity of the real culprit though that places her in danger of becoming a victim too. BLESSED IS THE BUSYBODY is a delightful cozy that stars an amateur sleuth who feels as if she swims upstream against the tide. The story line provides insight into the local politics of religion within the dueling investigations. All comes together in this fine "Ministry is Murder" thriller that starts with eccentricity (Teddy digging holes to bury the family's living cat) and continues that way until the final altercation. Emilie Richards writes a fun cozy with a serious look at religious politics. Harriet Klausner