Alibis and Angels By Olivia Mathews
Alibis and Angels By Olivia Mathews
5 Stars *****
Alibis and Angels is book three in the Sister Lou series, and the first book I’ve read in the mystery series. The focus is Sister Lou LaSalle and her “sleuthing” partners, particularly her nephew Chris LaSalle and reporter Shari Henson. Mayor Heather Stanley has been receiving threatening letters. Her Finance director suffers an untimely death and it is clear that the Mayor is the real target.
Ms. Matthews includes a lot of detail to give the reader a great visual of the characters and scenery. Ms. Matthews has written Sister Lou’s character with a clever, witty sense of humor. The suspense keeps the reader turning the pages. Some of the details appear to be repetitive, however, it’s important that the reader understands certain details about the characters that we may not have gotten in previous books. There is a “who done it” tone throughout the book and a lot of “villains”. This makes the story a true mystery. Mayor Heather Stanley as a main character is not as likeable in the beginning. This changes as the book goes on and the reader warms up to her more.
The interpersonal relationships in the Briar Coast community are also an important part of the story. Ms. Matthews has developed underlying plots to move the story along. For instance, Shari had insecurities she was trying to work through from her childhood. This insecurity rears its ugly head as Shari is dealing with a backstabbing coworker. This makes the book very relatable. Throughout the story, a constant is Sister Lou being very insightful and giving great advice to whoever needs it.
This book will appeal to those who enjoy mysteries. It’s also a good crossover for those who enjoy Christian fiction.
