historical_bookworm's review
4.0
I loved it! From the moment I read Mayhem At The Orient Express I knew I found my new favorite cozy mystery series. In the fourth installment Kylie Logan doesn't fail to deliver a marvelous book. And Then There Were Nuns is a play on words of Agatha Christie's classic novel And Then There Were None like the other books in the series that are centered around a book that The League of Literary Ladies are reading. In this book there are plenty of twists and turns that when you think you have figured it out, there is a new twist. Readers should be warned that there are spoilers in the books over the book that the ladies are reading. This isn't a major deal breaker since they are older books that most have read. I love And Then There Were None and Kylie Logan's And Then There Were Nuns is my favorite so far in the series.
*Disclaimer, I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
*Disclaimer, I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.
lunifur's review
4.0
**I received a copy of this from NetGalley**
A highly enjoyable story. The storyline is loosely based on the classic Agatha Christ book And Then There Were None, but with nuns. Going into it, I thought it would be closer to the original, but I was pleased with how she adapted it. Somehow, she managed to capture the essence of the original story while adding her own twists to the story. All of the characters are unique, and I can't wait to read about them again.
A highly enjoyable story. The storyline is loosely based on the classic Agatha Christ book And Then There Were None, but with nuns. Going into it, I thought it would be closer to the original, but I was pleased with how she adapted it. Somehow, she managed to capture the essence of the original story while adding her own twists to the story. All of the characters are unique, and I can't wait to read about them again.
valfreya's review
3.0
three stars is "liked it," which is about right. I think there was a bit of a gap between the publication of #3 and #4, and this book felt tonally different from some of the earlier entries in the series. Bea takes on all of the catering and transportation needs for 10 nuns who are on the island for a retreat; almost immediately, they run into all kinds of problems - interpersonal drama quickly escalates into disappearances and murder. there are two subplots; Chandra is bugging everyone and Bea and Levi finally get together (for a moment).
1) the mystery was interesting, and this series manages to have really dark and sad plot points. Bea did seem to be ignoring some fairly obvious and bizarre behavior from some of the people around her, which is kind of funny in conjunction with some of the people who keep hyping up her mystery-solving skills. it was definitely weird for Hank to just invite her into the case.
2) I enjoy the characters' friendship and found the resolution with Chandra cute and redeeming. I wish the 3 other literary ladies played a bigger role in the story, as they're consistently relegated to the background with little character development.
3) the Levi subplot... is not where Bea shines. they don't seem to have much chemistry, and a lot of her behavior and poor communication just makes her seem immature and dysfunctional. Levi is written as a pretty likeable character, which makes Bea's choices even more perplexing. I've never really enjoyed this subplot.
I also don't understand the decision to highlight Jerry Garcia (the cat) on the covers, although I have to be honest, the cute cat on the cover has played a role in my decision to read and continue reading the series, so maybe that's the reason?? (great marketing. I'm basic.) but the cat is not a beloved or significant character in the story...
1) the mystery was interesting, and this series manages to have really dark and sad plot points. Bea did seem to be ignoring some fairly obvious and bizarre behavior from some of the people around her, which is kind of funny in conjunction with some of the people who keep hyping up her mystery-solving skills. it was definitely weird for Hank to just invite her into the case.
2) I enjoy the characters' friendship and found the resolution with Chandra cute and redeeming. I wish the 3 other literary ladies played a bigger role in the story, as they're consistently relegated to the background with little character development.
3) the Levi subplot... is not where Bea shines. they don't seem to have much chemistry, and a lot of her behavior and poor communication just makes her seem immature and dysfunctional. Levi is written as a pretty likeable character, which makes Bea's choices even more perplexing. I've never really enjoyed this subplot.
Spoiler
also, the FX O'Grady reveal was pretty obvious to me from the beginning, but this is one of the tonal shifts I was referring to, as it was pretty surprising how quickly Bea made the reveal after the immense secrecy of the past several novels.I also don't understand the decision to highlight Jerry Garcia (the cat) on the covers, although I have to be honest, the cute cat on the cover has played a role in my decision to read and continue reading the series, so maybe that's the reason?? (great marketing. I'm basic.) but the cat is not a beloved or significant character in the story...
teawithdee's review against another edition
3.0
There is nothing literary or amazing about this book, but I was intrigued to read a book about a book club helping to investigate a series of unfortunate events. Since I had just read Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, I thought this could be a fun, lighthearted read by the pool. It was - well except for the murdered nuns, but I will still say it was a fun read.
amalyndb's review against another edition
4.0
A group of ten nuns is invited to a retreat on an island in Lake Erie. One of them is found drowned by the shore. Bea and the League of Literary Ladies begins to assist the local police with the investigation. Another nun dies.
An interesting mystery, although after reflecting a bit, realized there were some unanswered questions at the end of the novel remaining, nibbling at my brain. Possibly a metaphor for life and that not all questions can be answered?
An interesting mystery, although after reflecting a bit, realized there were some unanswered questions at the end of the novel remaining, nibbling at my brain. Possibly a metaphor for life and that not all questions can be answered?
mystereity_reviews's review against another edition
5.0
I knew I'd love this book when the opening lines concerned seeing penguins on the front porch that turned out to be nuns. And so started a new mystery for The League of Literary Ladies, full of murder, betrayal, secrets and lies. I really enjoyed the intricate plot, with so many twists and turns that it was impossible to finger the real killer.
I enjoy how Bea and the other Literary League ladies have formed such a tight bond. Their squabbles always remind me of how sisters argue all the time but always have each other's back. I would like to see more of the ladies develop as time goes on. They're a little more than one dimensional but are still nothing more than wallpaper. Levi was better utilized in this book, you get a tiny bit more of a back story, but not much. I have to say, the whole Levi story line was my least favorite part of the book. It just seemed a little...melodramatic. I'd like to say that Bea's reactions were out of character but it occurred to me that I really don't know if it's out of character. The backstories really haven't been well developed. Then it occurred to me that I liked the stories the way they are and adding in a lot of backstory would just bog the books down, so, you know what? It's all good.
A fantastic read in a stand-out series, and the only disappointment was that the recipes for the really tasty dishes were not included at the end. *sigh* That super duper Special Day Hallelujah cake sounded pretty darn good.
I enjoy how Bea and the other Literary League ladies have formed such a tight bond. Their squabbles always remind me of how sisters argue all the time but always have each other's back. I would like to see more of the ladies develop as time goes on. They're a little more than one dimensional but are still nothing more than wallpaper. Levi was better utilized in this book, you get a tiny bit more of a back story, but not much. I have to say, the whole Levi story line was my least favorite part of the book. It just seemed a little...melodramatic. I'd like to say that Bea's reactions were out of character but it occurred to me that I really don't know if it's out of character. The backstories really haven't been well developed. Then it occurred to me that I liked the stories the way they are and adding in a lot of backstory would just bog the books down, so, you know what? It's all good.
A fantastic read in a stand-out series, and the only disappointment was that the recipes for the really tasty dishes were not included at the end. *sigh* That super duper Special Day Hallelujah cake sounded pretty darn good.
mystereity_reviews's review
5.0
I knew I'd love this book when the opening lines concerned seeing penguins on the front porch that turned out to be nuns. And so started a new mystery for The League of Literary Ladies, full of murder, betrayal, secrets and lies. I really enjoyed the intricate plot, with so many twists and turns that it was impossible to finger the real killer.
I enjoy how Bea and the other Literary League ladies have formed such a tight bond. Their squabbles always remind me of how sisters argue all the time but always have each other's back. I would like to see more of the ladies develop as time goes on. They're a little more than one dimensional but are still nothing more than wallpaper. Levi was better utilized in this book, you get a tiny bit more of a back story, but not much. I have to say, the whole Levi story line was my least favorite part of the book. It just seemed a little...melodramatic. I'd like to say that Bea's reactions were out of character but it occurred to me that I really don't know if it's out of character. The backstories really haven't been well developed. Then it occurred to me that I liked the stories the way they are and adding in a lot of backstory would just bog the books down, so, you know what? It's all good.
A fantastic read in a stand-out series, and the only disappointment was that the recipes for the really tasty dishes were not included at the end. *sigh* That super duper Special Day Hallelujah cake sounded pretty darn good.
I enjoy how Bea and the other Literary League ladies have formed such a tight bond. Their squabbles always remind me of how sisters argue all the time but always have each other's back. I would like to see more of the ladies develop as time goes on. They're a little more than one dimensional but are still nothing more than wallpaper. Levi was better utilized in this book, you get a tiny bit more of a back story, but not much. I have to say, the whole Levi story line was my least favorite part of the book. It just seemed a little...melodramatic. I'd like to say that Bea's reactions were out of character but it occurred to me that I really don't know if it's out of character. The backstories really haven't been well developed. Then it occurred to me that I liked the stories the way they are and adding in a lot of backstory would just bog the books down, so, you know what? It's all good.
A fantastic read in a stand-out series, and the only disappointment was that the recipes for the really tasty dishes were not included at the end. *sigh* That super duper Special Day Hallelujah cake sounded pretty darn good.
dollycas's review against another edition
5.0
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It has been almost a year since the Ladies were court ordered to form a book club. The League of Literary Ladies quickly turned into more than a book club and even with all their differences these women have managed to become good friends. In this installment Bea has been asked to provide meals for 10 nuns who have come to South Bass Island for a retreat. Chandra, Kate, and Luella are pitching in to help. They also want to get inside the Water’s Edge Center and see what is behind the gates of a place the used to be off limits. When one of the nuns is murdered shortly after the retreat starts and another dies in quick succession the place becomes anything but restful. Now with only eight nuns the Ladies start to think about the similarities to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. They are hoping the similarities have ended but they again “assist” the police is catching the killer just to be sure.
This is my favorite book in the series so far. I love the ladies and they sure do land themselves in the middle of one murder after another. Don’t think the other residents of South Bass haven’t noticed. This time the author adds a very diverse group of nuns to the mix and brought us a super mystery. That may seem like a lot of characters but they are each unique and easy to keep track of We also lose two of them in the early chapters.
The story really does parallel the Christie classic in so many ways, but whether a Christie fan or not, you will totally enjoy this book. Logan liberally spreads the twists and turns throughout and truthfully I figured it out at the same time as Bea. Excellent writing!
I also loved the setting. A grand place with several suites overlooking the water. All the renovations have not yet been completed but will be soon. It would be a lovely place to spend a week or two.
The subplot with Chandra’s major plans for her yard, swimming pool and a huge lamppost added a whole element I didn’t expect but totally understood as this part of the story played out. She really was pushing the other’s buttons and I was surprised by how long it took for one of them to let her have it.
Fun, entertaining, a great way to spend an afternoon. I hope this is not our last visit to South Bass Island. I really want to solve another mystery with the League of Literary Ladies Book Club.
It has been almost a year since the Ladies were court ordered to form a book club. The League of Literary Ladies quickly turned into more than a book club and even with all their differences these women have managed to become good friends. In this installment Bea has been asked to provide meals for 10 nuns who have come to South Bass Island for a retreat. Chandra, Kate, and Luella are pitching in to help. They also want to get inside the Water’s Edge Center and see what is behind the gates of a place the used to be off limits. When one of the nuns is murdered shortly after the retreat starts and another dies in quick succession the place becomes anything but restful. Now with only eight nuns the Ladies start to think about the similarities to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. They are hoping the similarities have ended but they again “assist” the police is catching the killer just to be sure.
This is my favorite book in the series so far. I love the ladies and they sure do land themselves in the middle of one murder after another. Don’t think the other residents of South Bass haven’t noticed. This time the author adds a very diverse group of nuns to the mix and brought us a super mystery. That may seem like a lot of characters but they are each unique and easy to keep track of We also lose two of them in the early chapters.
The story really does parallel the Christie classic in so many ways, but whether a Christie fan or not, you will totally enjoy this book. Logan liberally spreads the twists and turns throughout and truthfully I figured it out at the same time as Bea. Excellent writing!
I also loved the setting. A grand place with several suites overlooking the water. All the renovations have not yet been completed but will be soon. It would be a lovely place to spend a week or two.
The subplot with Chandra’s major plans for her yard, swimming pool and a huge lamppost added a whole element I didn’t expect but totally understood as this part of the story played out. She really was pushing the other’s buttons and I was surprised by how long it took for one of them to let her have it.
Fun, entertaining, a great way to spend an afternoon. I hope this is not our last visit to South Bass Island. I really want to solve another mystery with the League of Literary Ladies Book Club.
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