Great Catholic Mystery Series

I have discovered a new series, written by married couple Aimee and David Thurlo, about a nun named Sr. Agatha. The protagonist is one of the extern nuns -- that means she greets the public for a cloistered order -- living in a monastery in New Mexico.

I'm on the third in the series and all have been very well-written and have a real Catholic feel. The authors are obviously active Catholics and must know devout, sincere religious folks. The mysteries are unique and the overall series are a delight to read.

The first, Bad Faith, occurs on monastery grounds and introduces Sr. Agatha. The other religious characters are wonderfully crafted with the individuality you really find in monasteries (as opposed to the popular idea that all nuns are little old ladies bent from all the praying). The second story brings back all the main characters and develops them even further -- Thief in Retreat also gives wonderful background about the southwest form of iconography called santos.

I'm still in the midst of the third, Prey for a Miracle, so I'm assuming it's just as good as the other two and so far that is the case.

See what you think about this series. I'm impressed that folks are still writing clean "cozy" mysteries like those made popular by Dorothy Sayers or Josephine Tey. I hope the Thurlos write a few more with the same level of Catholicity as their first three.