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Ministry is Murder #1
Blessed Is The Busybody
Meet the unconventional Aggie Sloan-Wilcox, a minister's wife with her own calling: helping troubled souls in need of justice. When the naked body of a murdered woman turns up on Aggie's front porch--and suspicion falls on Aggie's husband--she doesn't have a prayer of clearing his name unless she can uncover the truth in a town not known for confessing its sins.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 6, 2005
About the author
Emilie Richards
182 books918 followersI'm the author of seventy-something novels, including romance, women's fiction and mystery. When We Were Sisters debuted in June 2016, a stand alone novel about two foster sisters traveling back into their past together. I loved writing it and love the cover my publisher chose.
I'm also excited about my recent series, Goddesses Anonymous, which started with One Mountain Away and was followed by Somewhere Between Luck and Trust. The third book in the series, A River Too Wide, came out in July 2014. The Color of Light debuted in August 2015. Will there be more? We'll see.
I'm also putting up my newly edited romance backlist and love re-reading and updating them a bit.
Last year my husband and I moved from Virginia, to Osprey, Florida, the state where both of us were raised, met, and married. In the summer we live in Chautauqua, New York. I'm a quilter, knitter, kayaker, and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors. And now there are four wonderful grandchildren to spoil.
Visit me at my web site, emilierichards.com, and my blog, www.emilierichards.com/blog. You can also find me at Twitter and on my Facebook reader page.
I'm also excited about my recent series, Goddesses Anonymous, which started with One Mountain Away and was followed by Somewhere Between Luck and Trust. The third book in the series, A River Too Wide, came out in July 2014. The Color of Light debuted in August 2015. Will there be more? We'll see.
I'm also putting up my newly edited romance backlist and love re-reading and updating them a bit.
Last year my husband and I moved from Virginia, to Osprey, Florida, the state where both of us were raised, met, and married. In the summer we live in Chautauqua, New York. I'm a quilter, knitter, kayaker, and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors. And now there are four wonderful grandchildren to spoil.
Visit me at my web site, emilierichards.com, and my blog, www.emilierichards.com/blog. You can also find me at Twitter and on my Facebook reader page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
November 10, 2022
Aggie Wilcox ist mit ihrer Familie vor gut einem Jahr nach Emerald Springs in Ohio gezogen. Hier ist Aggies Mann Edward Pfarrer der kleinen Gemeinde. Sie führen ein recht ruhiges Leben, bis eines Tages eine tote Frau auf der Terrasse der Familie Wilcox liegt. Sie wurde ermordet.
Wer hat die fremde Tote umgebracht, warum wurde sie ermordet, und warum hat man sie ausgerechnet auf die Terrasse der Pfarrersfamilie gelegt?
Aggies Neugier ist geweckt, und gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin Lucy möchte sie der Polizei helfen, den Mordfall aufzuklären.
*
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das ist ein richtiger Wohlfühlkrimi! Ich konnte gleich eintauchen in diese Geschichte, Die Familie Wilcox ist total sympathisch, sowohl die Eltern, als auch die beiden 6 und 11 Jahre alten Töchter.
Der Krimi ist sowohl humorvoll als auch durchaus spannend, aber ein typischer Krimi ist es nicht. Er ist erfrischend anders.
Der Schreibstil gefällt mir sehr. Er ist leicht und eher anspruchslos, so dass man mit diesem Buch einfach entspannen und den Alltag vergessen kann.
Ich habe mich auch gleich etwas in die Zeit zurückgesetzt gefühlt. Zwar spielt die Geschichte in der Gegenwart (2002), aber die kleine Pfarrgemeinde Emerald Springs ist doch sehr konservativ. Da wird zum Beispiel vor einer Buchhandlung demonstriert, weil diese erotische Literatur verkaufen möchte. Da musste ich doch mehrfach schmunzeln.
Insgesamt hatte ich wirklich ein paar schöne Lesestunden mit diesem Wohlfühlkrimi!
Wer hat die fremde Tote umgebracht, warum wurde sie ermordet, und warum hat man sie ausgerechnet auf die Terrasse der Pfarrersfamilie gelegt?
Aggies Neugier ist geweckt, und gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin Lucy möchte sie der Polizei helfen, den Mordfall aufzuklären.
*
Mein Leseeindruck:
Das ist ein richtiger Wohlfühlkrimi! Ich konnte gleich eintauchen in diese Geschichte, Die Familie Wilcox ist total sympathisch, sowohl die Eltern, als auch die beiden 6 und 11 Jahre alten Töchter.
Der Krimi ist sowohl humorvoll als auch durchaus spannend, aber ein typischer Krimi ist es nicht. Er ist erfrischend anders.
Der Schreibstil gefällt mir sehr. Er ist leicht und eher anspruchslos, so dass man mit diesem Buch einfach entspannen und den Alltag vergessen kann.
Ich habe mich auch gleich etwas in die Zeit zurückgesetzt gefühlt. Zwar spielt die Geschichte in der Gegenwart (2002), aber die kleine Pfarrgemeinde Emerald Springs ist doch sehr konservativ. Da wird zum Beispiel vor einer Buchhandlung demonstriert, weil diese erotische Literatur verkaufen möchte. Da musste ich doch mehrfach schmunzeln.
Insgesamt hatte ich wirklich ein paar schöne Lesestunden mit diesem Wohlfühlkrimi!
January 29, 2014
Ed Wilcox and his wife Aggie Sloan-Wilcox have been in Emerald Springs for a little over a year. The congregation at their church seems to have taken to the new minister and his family, but now Gelsey Falowell, the matriarch who is a major benefactor and also runs the Women’s Society, seems bent on getting the minister fired. Aggie is doing her best to smooth any ruffled feathers but things take a turn for the worse when the naked body of a murdered woman is found on the parsonage’s front porch. Rumors circulate quickly, and suspicion falls on Ed, who had been counseling the victim before her death.
This is a cozy mystery featuring an unlikely amateur sleuth – the minister’s wife. Of course she is helped by her new best friend who is a realtor in town and privy to lots of secrets and “under the covers” relationships. She stumbles on the first clue and despite being warned to stay away from the investigation by the local detective, she cannot help but follow her nose.
I liked that Aggie and Luce are intelligent women with a great deal of common sense. I also liked the portrayal of a strong family – there were several parent/child issues that were handled quite well. I don’t think there was any need to introduce the underlying attraction between Detective Roussos and Aggie (nothing happens, it’s just mentioned – more than once). I had guessed part of the mystery pretty early on, though frankly it was a lucky wild guess. On the other hand, I was surprised by a significant turn of events.
Final verdict – an entertaining, fast read with characters I like and enough twists to keep me interested. I’ll probably read more of this series.
This is a cozy mystery featuring an unlikely amateur sleuth – the minister’s wife. Of course she is helped by her new best friend who is a realtor in town and privy to lots of secrets and “under the covers” relationships. She stumbles on the first clue and despite being warned to stay away from the investigation by the local detective, she cannot help but follow her nose.
I liked that Aggie and Luce are intelligent women with a great deal of common sense. I also liked the portrayal of a strong family – there were several parent/child issues that were handled quite well. I don’t think there was any need to introduce the underlying attraction between Detective Roussos and Aggie (nothing happens, it’s just mentioned – more than once). I had guessed part of the mystery pretty early on, though frankly it was a lucky wild guess. On the other hand, I was surprised by a significant turn of events.
Final verdict – an entertaining, fast read with characters I like and enough twists to keep me interested. I’ll probably read more of this series.
January 15, 2020
This was a great start to the series! I only wish it was the beginning for me instead of the end, I guess this is why you read things in order. The setting is fun and the characters are like able. The story moved along well and kept me on my toes. It was definitely bordering on too many characters to try and keep track of. #readforkimberly
January 13, 2014
It has been ages since I've read a mystery novel - and a good one at that. I was thrilled to have purchased Emilie Richards' Ministry is Murder series as she has yet to disappoint.
Blessed is the Busybody is the first book in the series, and I admit it started out a bit slow for my liking. That only seems fair now, as Richards needed to present us with the whole picture, giving us a thorough background on Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her minister husband Ed, as well as her children, her mother in law, her own mother, moving to this small town in Ohio that goes by the name of Emerald Springs and living in the parsonage with very little privacy, her neighbors, the townspeople and so on.
After that introduction, we finally get to the exciting part, when an unidentified body is dumped and later found on Aggie's front porch, fully naked. The ladies on the Women's Society Board are aghast and their leader Gelsie makes it her mission to get Ed fired, by pointing all fingers at him as the prime suspect for the murder - especially after it is revealed that Ed knows the woman's identity and has been counseling her before her untimely death/murder.
Aggie is such a fierce woman, mother of two daughters, and wife of a minister, she is anything BUT boring. She is interesting, exciting, crazy smart, and very witty. I loved getting to know her, and I loved the fact that she took it upon her to find out what really happened, partly because she was curious and intrigued, but mostly because she was trying to protect her family and mainly her husband.
I love her relationship with Ed, and I love her relationship with her daughters. I think it is all very realistically conveyed, so kudos to Richards for that. The mystery itself is so much fun to unravel right along Aggie's side. Every time you think you're close enough to figure it all out, Richards throws another curve ball at you.
It's a classic mystery tale, the likes of Agatha Christie, and I enjoyed reading it immensely. In fact, I finished the book in a matter of hours. I could barely put it down to get some work done, and when I did, my mind was constantly with Aggie trying to put the clues together to figure out who the killer is.
Very good read, and very solid plot line, executed seamlessly. Look forward to reading the next in the series!
Blessed is the Busybody is the first book in the series, and I admit it started out a bit slow for my liking. That only seems fair now, as Richards needed to present us with the whole picture, giving us a thorough background on Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her minister husband Ed, as well as her children, her mother in law, her own mother, moving to this small town in Ohio that goes by the name of Emerald Springs and living in the parsonage with very little privacy, her neighbors, the townspeople and so on.
After that introduction, we finally get to the exciting part, when an unidentified body is dumped and later found on Aggie's front porch, fully naked. The ladies on the Women's Society Board are aghast and their leader Gelsie makes it her mission to get Ed fired, by pointing all fingers at him as the prime suspect for the murder - especially after it is revealed that Ed knows the woman's identity and has been counseling her before her untimely death/murder.
Aggie is such a fierce woman, mother of two daughters, and wife of a minister, she is anything BUT boring. She is interesting, exciting, crazy smart, and very witty. I loved getting to know her, and I loved the fact that she took it upon her to find out what really happened, partly because she was curious and intrigued, but mostly because she was trying to protect her family and mainly her husband.
I love her relationship with Ed, and I love her relationship with her daughters. I think it is all very realistically conveyed, so kudos to Richards for that. The mystery itself is so much fun to unravel right along Aggie's side. Every time you think you're close enough to figure it all out, Richards throws another curve ball at you.
It's a classic mystery tale, the likes of Agatha Christie, and I enjoyed reading it immensely. In fact, I finished the book in a matter of hours. I could barely put it down to get some work done, and when I did, my mind was constantly with Aggie trying to put the clues together to figure out who the killer is.
Very good read, and very solid plot line, executed seamlessly. Look forward to reading the next in the series!
December 19, 2014
1st in the series and Emilie Richards has created a super sleuth who is witty, and makes a great minister's wife, friend and mother.
March 14, 2020
This was such a cute story, I loved it! I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
April 14, 2017
I appreciated the uniqueness and skill in "Blessed Is The Busybody", 2005. A non-pious minister's family in Ohio, USA is unexpected. Having discovered Phil Rickman, I know a reverend's family is observed, in-demand, and a little about how a board approves clergy and provides their residence. It also builds tenderness when we learn other sides to a cantankerous person. Gelsey was a rival introduced to us, until a murdered lady was left at the parsonage: the church family's home. I understand it must be the equivalent to what the English have for so long called a "vicarage"; which seemed pretentious and antiquated. I always find that fiction teaches me real details!
I don't judge quality on a solution being tricky. Praiseworthy stories do not hinge on fooling readers. Great writing and entertainment in its many facets, heralds success. However the road to this mystery was concealed and rooted circuitously in a past we could only glean as Agate sleuthed a little at a time. I would only call two clues lucky breaks and a scrapbook was plausible given Agate's archiving project. Our protagonist is engaging and humorous and the pages are eventful enough, early enough. My criticism derives from a narrating style I would admire in much smaller instances.
Do you know how the television shows "Corner Gas", "Modern Family", and "Family Guy" insert clips to demonstrate something silly? Emilie did it with words but constantly; making the whole narrative heavy, without skimming space between the wry observations. I think I'll stop at the sequel I own. I admire most of the creative metaphors but they are a sluggish barrage, with general descriptiveness in superfluity. Also, I found Agate's age, thirty-four, uncomfortably incongruous with the harried fiftyish tone she received. Slightly younger in 2005, I comprise a computer whiz generation!
I don't judge quality on a solution being tricky. Praiseworthy stories do not hinge on fooling readers. Great writing and entertainment in its many facets, heralds success. However the road to this mystery was concealed and rooted circuitously in a past we could only glean as Agate sleuthed a little at a time. I would only call two clues lucky breaks and a scrapbook was plausible given Agate's archiving project. Our protagonist is engaging and humorous and the pages are eventful enough, early enough. My criticism derives from a narrating style I would admire in much smaller instances.
Do you know how the television shows "Corner Gas", "Modern Family", and "Family Guy" insert clips to demonstrate something silly? Emilie did it with words but constantly; making the whole narrative heavy, without skimming space between the wry observations. I think I'll stop at the sequel I own. I admire most of the creative metaphors but they are a sluggish barrage, with general descriptiveness in superfluity. Also, I found Agate's age, thirty-four, uncomfortably incongruous with the harried fiftyish tone she received. Slightly younger in 2005, I comprise a computer whiz generation!
February 8, 2021
If I enjoy a book so much that I forget about the rest of my life and finish reading it in one day, how can I give it fewer than 5 stars?
This was fun. Well-written, characters with personality, set in a town I wouldn't mind living in, no swearing, no sex scenes describing sweaty loins, a happy little family at its heart. And best of all for a mystery, no untied ends! Everything was believable! (Sort of.) The only part I didn't like was the typical Heroine-Gets-Abducted-and-Rescued-Just-in-Time ending. On the other hand, it didn't hurt that there was a little bit of God's Hand involved in telling them where to go to save her. I'm going to move on to the second one in the series eventually, but if it's another case of knights in shining armor arriving to rescue Aggie from her own poor choices, well, that will be the end of this relationship.
This was fun. Well-written, characters with personality, set in a town I wouldn't mind living in, no swearing, no sex scenes describing sweaty loins, a happy little family at its heart. And best of all for a mystery, no untied ends! Everything was believable! (Sort of.) The only part I didn't like was the typical Heroine-Gets-Abducted-and-Rescued-Just-in-Time ending. On the other hand, it didn't hurt that there was a little bit of God's Hand involved in telling them where to go to save her. I'm going to move on to the second one in the series eventually, but if it's another case of knights in shining armor arriving to rescue Aggie from her own poor choices, well, that will be the end of this relationship.
August 11, 2016
So, I took incredibly long to finish this book. Various reasons, but mainly because the book didn't grab me as much as I hoped. The storyline is great, the characters are great (that's why I gave it 4 stars), but it just wasn't a book that made me feel "I NEED TO FINISH TODAY", but more "Meh, I'll grab it when I have nothing to do". As said, the storyline was great, I had no idea who the murderer was and the story unfolded piece by piece gradually over the book which is a big plus.
I will give book 2 a go, if it is the same feeling as book 1 I guess this isn't a series for me.
I will give book 2 a go, if it is the same feeling as book 1 I guess this isn't a series for me.
February 3, 2010
This was an enjoyable cozy mystery. I did like the references to "how churches run." I had not figured out who the murders were until they were revealed. I really enjoyed that the mystery was solved by a lay person and not the cute police officer. The story was believable and well-crafted.
September 21, 2018
The story doesn't stay consistently gripping, but there are a surprising number of actual twists for a cozy mystery later on. Major secrets and things not guessed. The mystery itself is interesting and I liked that it had a dash of humor from time to time. For being a minister's wife, the lead is realistic - she's not pious, she's a bit judgmental at times, she has a sense of humor, she's not afraid to get the groove on with hubby, and the scene where she accidentally mixed in some real-life photos in her powerpoint presentation was the funniest scene. Toss in a mother in law that doesn't like her, feeling used because she's the wife of the pastor, and you have a unique look into her station in life that feels more legit than usual.
Is it just me or do I wish she were single and could purse the steam with the local hunky detective? I like beginnings of mystery series to also be beginnings of relationships for the most part, so I had to get used to the husband patrol, as sweet as he may be.
Full review to come.
Is it just me or do I wish she were single and could purse the steam with the local hunky detective? I like beginnings of mystery series to also be beginnings of relationships for the most part, so I had to get used to the husband patrol, as sweet as he may be.
Full review to come.
February 26, 2021
A delightful book that touches on many life problems, in ministry, in raising young children, in small-town life, in friendship, in charity . . . I enjoyed every minute of it. Not to mention that I didn't come close to solving the mystery. Always a plus. I am anxious to read the next in this series. What a great start!
November 18, 2013
I very much liked the main character in this cozy mystery. Aggie is a warm and friendly woman, wife of a minister, who seems genuine and is a good person. She is a stay-at-home mom who raises her daughters in a no-nonsense but warm and humorous way. She and minister-husband Ed have a nice normal relationship, and I appreciate their closeness and how well they are suited to each other. I got such a nice feeling about their home and their values. Of course, Aggie also got involved in a murder mystery, but she is an intelligent woman who gets caught up in something that literally ends up on her doorstep. She goes a little further than I would have gone in her investigations, but that's pretty much par for the course in a story like this.
Favorite quote about mysteries in general: "It's never a good sign when the bad guy starts clearing things up."
Favorite quote about mysteries in general: "It's never a good sign when the bad guy starts clearing things up."
November 28, 2013
I think I have read at least one other book by this author, probably one of her romances, and I like her light touch.
The characters are interesting and she clearly knows the life of a minister's wife very well. I find Aggie to be a good wife and mother -- she accepts that her youngest daughter's penchant for holding funerals for the (live) cat probably mean she will be a minister and that her older daughter's early onset teen angst is going to make life interesting. She is made weak-kneed by the handsome detective but also by her husband the bookish clergyman.
I thought the mystery was pretty well-crafted, with clues here and there if you were paying attention and enough laughter and suspense and red herrings to make it interesting. Will be keeping my eye out for others in this series.
The characters are interesting and she clearly knows the life of a minister's wife very well. I find Aggie to be a good wife and mother -- she accepts that her youngest daughter's penchant for holding funerals for the (live) cat probably mean she will be a minister and that her older daughter's early onset teen angst is going to make life interesting. She is made weak-kneed by the handsome detective but also by her husband the bookish clergyman.
I thought the mystery was pretty well-crafted, with clues here and there if you were paying attention and enough laughter and suspense and red herrings to make it interesting. Will be keeping my eye out for others in this series.
March 19, 2014
Aggie tries to do her job of supporting her preacher husband and raise their daughters in the best way she can. Avoiding scandal is her number one priority. So why then, is there a naked dead woman on her front doorstep? The characters lept off the page at me as if I'd known them for a long time even though this is a series debut. The plot was fan moving and fun as well. My only issue? I don't agree with the character's theology, but I didn't expect to, and I devoured the entire series.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
March 21, 2010
Found this at Halfprice books and liked the title. Well written and charming story. I love mysteries so it was fun to find a new author to read. Looking forward to more.
June 5, 2021
(3.5 stars) This is the first book in the series. Aggie and her family have recently moved to the small town of Emerald Springs, where her husband is a minister. They are struggling a bit to adapt to life there, particularly since one of the powerful parishioners has taken a dislike to them for some unknown reason. When a naked, dead woman ends up on their porch as the Women’s Society arrives, Aggie knows that they have major trouble on their hands, particularly when her husband has been seen with the woman and refuses to reveal her reasons as she was seeking counseling from him. Aggie gets involved in investigating to prove her husband was not involved, as she begins her new job at the bookstore just opening, one with its own controversies. Aggie is definitely not your typical minister’s wife and has a quirky sense of humor. This was a great start to the series.
January 11, 2024
To be honest I only picked this book up because I needed a book with a minster as an MC for a challenge. I have been really disappointed with the cozy mysteries that I have read in the last few months (they were silly and predictable), but this one took me by surprise. I wasn't sure if it was going to be heavy on the religion and all "preachy", but what a great book. It was smart and had enough philosophy/religion to keep it interesting and the main characters were normal and likeable.
And the mystery wasn't bad either.
I also liked that there wasn't any distracting swearing or sex. Though there was nice kissing and cuddling between the minister and his wife - like I said - normal.
I will read the next book in the series sometime - maybe when I need another minster or an intelligent cozy.
And the mystery wasn't bad either.
I also liked that there wasn't any distracting swearing or sex. Though there was nice kissing and cuddling between the minister and his wife - like I said - normal.
I will read the next book in the series sometime - maybe when I need another minster or an intelligent cozy.
June 22, 2021
3.5 Aggie is married to a minister and they have just moved into a new community in Emerald Springs. Aggie is a free spirited woman with a mind of her own but is a great support to her husband and two children. Not everyone in Emerald Springs welcomes this family to the fold and one woman in particular seems to have a grudge against the minister and feels he is the wrong person for the job but after a body is found on the front door step of the family and subsequently the murder of the woman who is the accuser suspicion falls on the minister but Aggie has other ideas and sets out to find the real murderer.
July 30, 2020
How does a garrulous old woman, and a naked woman’s body dumped on the porch of the vicarage, connect to Aggie, the wife of a minister who only wants a quiet little parish so he can further his studies? They are all connected as Aggie unravels the mystery through sometimes humorous situations. There are the likely suspects but the end is still a surprise and requires a minor miracle to save the day. A very pleasant read.
April 7, 2023
Such a fun mystery! The new pastor along with his wife and children think that all is going well at their new parish until one parishoner begins to stir up trouble, the same lady who lobbied to hire him. What could be going on? Then a dead body shows up on their porch (sans clothing). And the sleuthing begins!
The story is told from the pastor's wife's perspective. She is a relatable character and I think you will find yourself having a hard time putting this one down.
The story is told from the pastor's wife's perspective. She is a relatable character and I think you will find yourself having a hard time putting this one down.
January 8, 2021
I read most of this book on 6 January as our U.S. Captol was being overun by domestic terrorists. I needed to escape reality for awhile and this book was perfect. I enjoyed the quirky characters, trying to figure out who murdered the two victims, and the setting of a small Ohio town. I read this for booc club but will probably go on to read the other books in the series.
January 6, 2017
Guess I was misled by the "ministry" and "blessed" in title. Not written from a Christian perspective and not quite as clean as I was anticipating. Storyline was fine, just not what I was expecting for content...
June 21, 2017
Such a delightful read.....for anyone, nothing explicit, nothing gruesome. Ms. Richards has a wonderful way of expressing opinions, funny and creative. Such an easy book to read; well crafted, well written.
September 4, 2018
Nice quick read. I am not religious , but found that aspect of this family interesting. Some of the book is dated when talking about having problems with PowerPoint etc. but overall a satisfying who dunnit
April 8, 2019
As a lifelong Unitarian I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy with the UU minister’s wife as protagonist. The mystery was engaging and all the UU church business and congregational interactions rang true. Highly recommended.
August 27, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A good book that keeps you guessing every chapter. I didn’t suspect the ending. The characters are complex, which is very refreshing. However, it can be hard to follow with the amount of characters and names.
A good book that keeps you guessing every chapter. I didn’t suspect the ending. The characters are complex, which is very refreshing. However, it can be hard to follow with the amount of characters and names.
July 6, 2017
Good book. Held my interest.
September 5, 2017
Funny murder mystery
Aggie can't let dead bodies lay on her front porch without finding out the reason. She is also raising two daughters without losing her sense of humor.
Aggie can't let dead bodies lay on her front porch without finding out the reason. She is also raising two daughters without losing her sense of humor.
October 11, 2017
I read up to page 85 and couldn’t keep going. It was entirely too slow and it was lacking in details.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews