A Vow of Silence

Sister Joan Murder Mystery, Book 1

By: Veronica Black

Narrated by: Jennifer Ness

Discover a dramatic new mystery series set in a Cornish convent. Perfect for fans of Black Narcissus, Daphne du Maurier and Margaret Frazer.

The sisters at a lonely Cornish convent share a chilling secret they cannot confess...Sister Sophia is dead. Another disappears. And a mysterious last letter from a dying nun is sent to the prioress. Sister Joan has faced her own demons. Now she is sent to the convent to investigate, as well as teach the local children. There are whispers of virgin sacrifice and suicide, and the mother prioress certainly wears pink nail varnish. And who is the young man hiding in the bracken?

Meet Sister Joan, a rebel nun who vows to find out the truth.

©2021 Veronica Black (P)2021 W F Howes

Critic reviews

“Outstanding.” (Publishers Weekly)

If du Maurier wrote Sister Boniface Mysteries

This mystery novel written in 1990 has a gripping and underrated feel to it, with its Gothic novel and conspiratorial motifs as well as plot-pointed hints of Poirot.

The next novel will definitely be in my TBR.

Very good mild mannered cozy

This book was highly recommended on the British Mystery Book Facebook page. It is a nicely done cozy, the writing is above average. I found it to be extremely mellow. Nothing in the book disparages the church. Actually, it would be a safe book to listen to with young people in the car. No swearing, no violence etc Since the original review I have continued to read the books in this series. I thought I should come back and encourage people to ignore negative reviews. If anything, this mild mannered books are indeed complimentary to the church. Violence is mentioned, but not described. If you are looking for a change of pace, or need something tranquil at the moment, do give Sister Joan a try. The narrator is outstanding.

Good…but gets 5*amazing after next few in series

I adore this series. Don’t let the unorthodox beginning turn you away; it’s an anomaly. The series improves immensely over the next installments.

Sick. sick

Holy Catholic Bat Man. The Roman Catholic church covers up and buries murder and rape.

Book made me sick. Roman Catholic church buries murder, child slavery, rape and Gnosticism as an every day matter of course. May God forgive the author and publisher.

Not an Emergency Unless You are a Devout Catholic

At first, I was intrigued by the idea of a nun/lady detective, and I listened eagerly to the story. But when it became clear that the real "danger" was not murder, but a challenge to fiercely entrenched beliefs that devalue women in favor of men, I stopped being interested. This is the DaVinci Code all over again, and more evidence that as a species, we will need many centuries before we can grasp the simple concept that divinity is BOTH male and female, and of equal theological standing. I went away feeling no sympathy for the main character, her parochial mindset, or the Church that she represented.