Case of the Sin City Sister by Lynne Hinton

I really like this series of detective stories. The novels are not about clever detecting, although there is some. It is more about relationships. That may sound odd for a detective series, but it works. You can read my review of the first novel in the series, Sister Eve Private Eye, here.

Eve Devine is a nun but she takes time away from her religious order to help her dad in his private detective agency. He had been a police detective but received a medical retirement. In this novel, Eve's sister is missing and foul play is suspected. Eve and Daniel, her dad's partner while with the police, head to Las Vegas in search of Eve's sister.

In addition to be a good detective novel, the author has given us much to think about. I like the way the thoughtful issues come through in the dialog. When in Vegas, Eve is contemplating why people come to a place like that. Daniel suggests they do so to get away from reality. He wonders if nuns do the same kind of thing, entering an order to get away from the real world. You'll have to read the book to find out how Eve handles that one.

Eve and her dad actually have a paid client too, a fellow from the east coast who is trying to find out about his great-grandfather who had come to work in the mines in the New Mexico territory in 1889. He had left behind a pregnant wife, promising to send for her. Several letters were sent but then his wife heard no more. Eve and her dad set about the nearly impossible task of finding out what happened to him.

That little mystery begins and ends the novel, with the hunt for Eve's sister taking up most of the book. I found it interesting that near the end of the novel, Eve's dad says, “There are some mysteries we will never solve, but there are others we could find an answer to, we just sometimes don't want to search deep enough.” Thought provoking words.

I really like Eve as a character. She loves to ride a motorcycle fast yet feels called to her religious order. What an interesting woman she is. I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a character driven novel with a little suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lynne Hinton is a New York Times bestselling author. She holds an MDiv from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. She has served as a hospice chaplain, church pastor, and retreat leader. She is a regular columnist with The Charlotte Observer. A native of North Carolina, she lives with her husband and dog in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can find out more at www.lynnehinton.com.

Thomas Nelson, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.