Description
By Emily Hanlon
When a priest confesses to the murder of a parishioner, everyone in the wealthy waterfront town of Pequot Bays is convinced of his guilt—everyone, that is, except Marya Cook, a Bible-quoting, lavender-clad octogenarian known to locals as the Purple Pest.
Unable to prove his innocence on her own, she draws in Martha Collins, a much younger, efficient, ever-busy church lady, to assist in her investigations. Although Martha is unwilling to associate herself with the odd old woman as she accuses wealthy and influential suspects of murder, Marya’s peculiar logic persuades her that this ditzy old woman may not be so ditzy after all.
A victim with plenty of enemies, a corrupt ambitious cop, a conflicting confession by a fellow priest, and the death of a prime suspect make the path to truth a crooked one. The rich and powerful suspects scoff at poor, dithering Marya. Can she, in the end, unveil their many secrets and prove there is more to a person than meets the eye?
100% of the author’s profits will be donated to charity.
Jan –
A whole lot of fun to read and a great mystery! Martha and Marya make a dynamic team. Rich in detail and lots of interesting characters. Wonderful references to saints and biblical quotes. So much fun, I think I will read it again! Can’t wait for the next in the series!
Alex (verified owner) –
Very entertaining and captivating ! Ms. Hanlon’s debut mystery novel brings to life the intriguing and at times funny character of Marya, the peculiar old lady that investigates the shocking murder in a small town parish. The leading character, Martha, brings together all the other characters while developing an improbably tight relation and friendship to the old lady, the “Purple Pest” !
The great details, colors and quotations from the Bible and the likes of Shakespeare keep you intrigued, while the twists and turns keep you guessing till the very end.
A great read !
Katie Duhig –
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️