A Truth for a Truth by Emilie Richards

Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
Division of Penguin Publishing
5th Book in the Ministry Is Murder Series
Release Date October 5, 2010

Aggie Sloan-Wilcox is the wife of minister Ed Wilcox of the Consolidated Community Church of Emerald Springs, and she somehow keeps finding herself trying to do good deeds for others but ends up investigating murders.

In this installment of the series, Goodwin "Win" Dorchester, a former pastor of the church comes back to enjoy his retirement in Emerald Springs.  But his retirement ends abruptly when dies suddenly after a party celebrating his return. 

Just as the mourners from his funeral are about to leave to go to the cemetery, the service is cut short because the coroner's office has requested an autopsy, feeling his death was not by natural causes but murder.  His wife Hildy, minister's wife extraordinaire, is outraged. Then to top it off the police feel Hildy is a prime suspect.

Aggie is knows Hildy is a busybody and sticks her nose in where it doesn't belong often, but she is no killer.  With a little investigation Aggie comes up with quite a list of other people who may have killed the former pastor, but she also learned some secrets that "Win" had been keeping.  Secrets that could lead to more people dying.  Aggie needs to get to the truth and get to it quickly.

This entire series has been delightful. The small hometown setting should resonant well with all readers.  With a back story of church and ministry these stories are not at all "preachy", they are pure entertainment.  The characters are like any you would meet in any church, anywhere in the country.  You may even draw comparisons with members or pastors or their wives to those of your own church or community.  The plots are well developed and are true cozy mysteries that will keep you pleasantly occupied from the first page until the last and then awaiting the next story to the series.

It was interesting to read the author's biography, as she is herself a preacher's wife though these stories are in no way are autobiographical, thank God, especially with the high murder total in this fictional small town.  She is also the author of The Shenandoah Album Novels and several other novels. Check out the slide show below for more stories by Emilie Richards.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”