This is a delightful new cozy mystery that grabs your attention from the first page. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters in Apple Springs. From Hope, the new (and first female) pastor at Faith Chapel Episcopal Church to her sister-in-law, members of Hope’s congregation to a much-despised Stanley King to Bethann, a former lead singer in a 60s girl band, you will be entertained. There are twists and turns as you follow Hope as she struggles to prove her innocence and discover the person who killed Stanley. This is a good start to a new series and I hope I will have an opportunity to go on more adventures with Hope and the delightful people of Apple Springs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed our main character and the rest of the people that populate the book. Good world building.

The mystery wasn't onerous but it wasn't completely obvious either. Just what you want in a cozy mystery.

Hope, Faith and a Corpse by Laura Jensen is the first book in the series set in Apple Springs, California. This story followis Hope Taylor and Bogie, her black Lab. Hope’s first day on her new job does not quite go as planned. This is action packed from the get go. This story has very likable and unlikable characters which make for an enjoyable read. There are twists and turns which kept me guessing throughout.

I am new to cozy mysteries. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading more in this series. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received an eARC from NetGalley but opinions are my own.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a great read I love the characters and the story kept me engaged

Hope, Faith and a Corpse is a great start to the Faith Chapel series. It has everything you'd want in a small town cozy mystery and then some. Hope Taylor has just moved to Apple Springs to pastor, along with Father Christopher, the Faith Chapel Episcopalians. Unfortunately, on her first day at work she stumbles upon Stanley King in the columbarium having been murdered with an urn. Being the new kid on the block in a very small town, rumors immediately begin to fly that Hope is the murderer. Seeking to set the story straight, Hope begins to investigate herself and try to discover who really murdered Stanley. Channeling her inner Trixie Belden, Hope investigates, learning that Stanley was not at all a nice man or very well liked, leaving a list of murder suspects a mile long. In the midst of her investigating and responsibilities as pastor, Hope learns the many and varied ways Stanley has impacted the people of Apple Springs, and not in a good way.

Besides the murder there are also the day-to-day activities of a local parish - member visits, sermons to preach, office work and events to plan. Hope takes on the responsibility of planning an English tea for the community, a task that has been usually overseen by cradle-Episcopalian Marjorie. Hope gathers churchwomen around her to plan and carry off the event, even including the men as servers. The description of the food, table settings and overall organization of the tea make you want to join Hope and her friends for the tea! The tea is a success, endearing Hope more to the people of Faith Chapel and Apple Springs.

Hope is a wonderful protagonist - Episcopalian priest who has a running dialog with herself, snarky comments, great sense of humor, pop culture comments and old movie references all combined with a caring and compassionate nature in someone trying to start over after the loss of her beloved husband - what's not to like about her?

Along with Hope you have many other quirky and lovable characters - restaurant owner Susan who makes great pies, Bethann the 60s girl group lead singer with a bevy of garden gnomes to whom she talks, the wannabe southern belle Liliane, and teenager Riley who attends the church just for the music, has a tattoo and ends up working as the church admin...just to name a few!

This is a fun, fast read with an unexpected ending -- kept me wondering until the end although I wasn't surprised who the actual murderer was, given Stanley's history and reputation in the town! Hope, Faith, and a Corpse is very real - anyone familiar with local church life and the nuances of a small town can immediately relate to the characters. The story pulls you in, not wanting to let you go until you've read the book to the end, probably in one setting!

I highly recommend Hope, Faith and a Corpse and look forward to the next in the series.

Hope Taylor is the new pastor, make that new female pastor, at Faith Chapel Episcopal Church. It’s a smaller town than she’s used to, and except for the warp speed of gossip, she likes it.

It’s too bad that on her first day, she’s the topic of that gossip. Finding a wealthy parishioner dead in the columbarium will do that, especially if you’re holding the murder weapon when the senior pastor and the church ladies find you.

To make matters worse, Stanley, the dead man, had publicly said there would only be a female pastor at the church over his dead body.

On the plus side, if you can call it that, Stanley was not well-liked and had a number of enemies. He treated his adult children horribly. He ruined his business partner, personally and professionally. The question really was who didn’t want him dead.

Hope has a black Labrador. On their daily walks, she’s able to hear the latest and put together bits and pieces that gradually build into clues.

Hope is likable, easy to talk to, able to walk away when some of the members resent the fact she’s female, and a widow learning life goes on. As in most churches, members have their own jealously guarded niches, whether flower arrangements, choir, or special events. Trying to stay on the good side of everyone is a tightrope walk.

Bogie, her Labrador, is a great addition to the story, as is Virginia, Hope’s sister-in-law. I vote for Virginia to move to be near Hope and her escapades. Besides, Virginia is a fabulous cook and Hope lives on peanut butter and banana sandwiches. The side characters are just that—characters who love Twinkies and garden gnomes for instance.

Walker has written a number of books, one bookish baker mystery, two Phoebe Grant books, three Getaway Girls, and two other books. This is her first book featuring Hope and Bogie. Readers will want more.

Hope loves old movies so in the back of the book, there’s a list of classics. Since one of the scenes is an English tea, recipes for cucumber sandwiches, ham and apricot cream cheese sandwiches, classic English scones, lemon bars, and triple chocolate brownies are included. (A proper English tea requires three tiers—savory sandwiches on the bottom, scones with jam, clotted cream, or curd in the middle, and sweets on the top tier.)

One of the greatest challenges an author faces when writing a cozy mystery is crafting a main character who other people—sometimes complete strangers—actually want to talk to. It’s not enough that the sleuth finds themself stumbling through a mystery. If they actually want to solve anything, people have to talk to them. There’s all sorts of clever ways of doing this, but often a character’s profession provides them the greatest access to others’s thoughts and motives. A librarian can pick up conversations while roaming the stacks, safeguarding clues as they strike up conversations with a surfeit of incoming patrons. A hair stylist can dish out glamor and gossip to customers who literally pay to sit with them. Carrying a sharp object like scissors probably also helps in finding loose lips.

Author Laura Jensen Walker knows how to make characters talk and this skill presents in the form of Hope Taylor, the new and first female pastor of Faith Chapel Episcopal Church. In this first book in a new series, many of the denizens of Apple Springs don’t know Faith, but that doesn’t stop them from quickly opening up after the shocking and rather gruesome death of local cur Stanley. While she might have been found holding the murder weapon over his lifeless body, Stanley was enough of a villain that people don’t seem to mind Faith’s probing during the case. Maybe it’s the collar.

Or maybe it’s that she’s one of the most likable protagonists to come along in a cozy since Teddie St. John in Walker’s mystery debut, Murder Most Sweet. With a penchant for all things English and an encyclopedic knowledge of old films, Hope has the remarkable ability to navigate in a world where almost everyone seems to like her—and it’s completely believable. Frankly, I’d tell her where the bodies were buried.

It helps that there’s plenty to talk about, some of it centered around Hope. Much like in all the best mysteries, there’s plenty of motive, means, and opportunity to go around a seemingly otherwise idyllic community. However, Walker challenges this notion by examining Hope’s new role in the church and the sexism she faces in an evolving institution. It’s a scenario that’s treated realistically, and further complicates the puzzle for Hope. I was often left wondering if congregants with rotten opinions about sex could be murderers or if they were just hateful people.

Yet, Hope rises above it all the best way she knows how: by talking. To congregants and to the broader community, she jokes and mingles until gradually winning over both detractors and, in turn, readers. With a clever line here and a heartfelt connection there, it’s almost surprising that the real killer doesn’t immediately come out and confess everything. Thankfully, Walker understands the need for some suspense, and she allows Hope to talk her way to both a satisfying and surprising ending.

The first book in the Faith Chapel Mystery series by Laura Jensen Walker is Hope, Faith, and a Corpse. Hope is the first female pastor in the history of Faith Chapel Episcopalian Church. She is welcome warmly by some and not all by others. While looking for Father Christopher, she stumbles onto a dead congregation member. It happens to be the man who said Hope would preach at the church over his dead body. Hope finds herself investigating to clear her name. I adore Hope, and this is a great start to a new series. I love the religious theme that is not at all "preachy". I can easily see this becoming one of my favorite series if book two is anything like this one.

A good start for a new cozy series and an interesting MC.
I found it engrossing and entertaining, liked the characters, and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Hope, Faith and a Corpse is a great start to a fun cozy mystery series!
Hope settles into the town as a female priest but of course things don’t go as planned and a dead body shows up. The story leads us along as they try to figure out who the killer is.
This was a new to me author and I enjoyed the book. The characters were fun, the story line developed an overall great experience! Looking forward to reading more!

Hope, Faith, and a Corpse, the first book in Laura Jensen Walker’s Faith Chapel Mystery series combines the best elements of a cozy mystery with a unique pastoral setting to create a fresh and fabulous novel that is a joy to read.

When Hope Taylor arrives in Apple Valley, California to serve as the first female pastor of Faith Chapel Episcopal Church, she has no idea that by the end of the day she will be accused of murder. On her way to check in with Father Christopher, her new boss, she encounters the body of one of the church elders, Stanley King, lying next to an urn spotted with blood. When she is discovered, urn in hand, with the body, she is briefly considered a suspect. It turns out, however, that Stanley King was an abhorrent person, and there are plenty of people who may have wanted him dead.

The mystery is a good one, with a good variety of clues and red herrings. But what makes this book shine are the characters. Hope is a wonderful protagonist. Her faith is always at the forefront of her decisions, but, unlike in many “Christian” novels, her faith flows naturally from the storyline and is not overdone. She is fresh and quirky, with a love of old movies that is totally endearing. Her boss, Father Christopher, seems to be level-headed and willing to try new things – evidenced by the fact he hires a young assistant with – gasp – a tattoo. The ladies of the church, too, lend an air of authenticity to the story, and despite being grouped together often, have emerged with distinct personalities of their own. Finally, Hope’s sister-in-law, Virginia, has a can-do attitude that serves as the perfect counter balance to Hope’s enthusiasm. I hope we see more of her in upcoming novels.

There is much to like about this book, and I’m betting, the series. That said, I do think the book tries a bit too hard to prove that Hope is young and “hip.” Some of the references seem forced and over the top. No doubt that is due to this being the first book in the series, and as we settle into later books, Hope’s actions will speak for themselves.

All-in-all, Hope, Faith, and a Corpse is a fantastic start to what promises to be a delightful cozy mystery series.

Note: I received an ARC of Hope, Faith, and a Corpse from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. The above is my honest review.

Hope, Faith & a Corpse earns 5/5 Sunday Sermons...Entertaining Fun!

Despite an unexpected run in with an Elvis garden gnome, forty-something Paster Hope Taylor was on time and eager to start her new pastoral work with Faith Chapel Episcopal Church in Apple Springs, California. However, she’s unable to find her new boss, Father Christopher, and in her search, she enters the church’s columbarium tripping over a dead body. Not the best of introductions, especially when a lady from the altar guild yells, “Stanley’s dead, and she killed him!” True, Stanley King is dead, bludgeoned with Ethel Brown’s urn with her cremains inside, but not so true the new pastor is the killer. However, the victim’s opposition to accepting a female paster—“Over my dead body.”—is being closely scrutinized by the detective in charge, it isn’t the only issue that could have resulted in murder; the victim was a despicable person, so many seem ripe with a motive. But, who took their grievances one step too far?

Totally entertaining first-in-a-series! “The Vicar of Dibley” is a favorite British sitcom, so the premise of a female pastor of a small town church, somewhat opposed, was one I was eager to engage. The mystery followed the traditional cozy formula I greatly enjoy: crime occurs in the first chapter, main focus on the ins and outs of investigation, the lead character has a dubious link to the victim worthy of close scrutinization, intros to characters and connections are throughout. There are legitimate alternative scenarios worth notice with hints pointing to family, vestry members, business associates, and other parishioners, and several have questionable alibis. Hope is spurred to investigate on her own to squelch any rumors, and adding a bit of humor and insight into Hope and her past, she is joined by her sister-in-law Virginia and Hope’s Labrador, aptly named Bogie to represent her old movie passion. Beyond the murder investigation, the community begins to take shape, Hope slowly becomes accepted, there’re tea parties, and a skeleton in the backyard. Walker’s mystery is very clever, well-written, steady-paced, and her writing style is engaging, creates a lovely small town environment with descriptive language, and entertaining dialogue. I enjoyed this first book in the series, and look forward to more.

FYI—Unique to the story are the movie and television references punctuating the witty banter and inner dialogue of the main character. The author adds a fun and informative section, Pastor Hope’s Movie Guide, which gives her Top 11 Desert Island Old-Movie Picks which provides insights into the movies she wouldn’t be without if on a desert island. Of course, what else? Faith Chapel Tea Recipes! Cucumber Sandwiches best with English cucumbers, Ham and Apricot Cream Cheese Sandwiches, Classic English Scones, Lemon Squares, and Triple Chocolate Brownies.

Hope, Faith and and Corpse is a great start to a new cozy mystery series. Hope Taylor arrives at her new church and is the first female priest they have ever had. Unfortunately, a dead member is there to meet her at her greeting party! Hope takes upon herself to help find the killer and along the way we meet a wide variety of personalities of her new church members.

Hope, Faith, and a Corpse is the first in Laura Jensen Walker's new Faith Chapel Mystery series following Hope Taylor and Bogie, her scruffy black Labrador.

Hope, 42, has moved to Apple Springs to start her new role as first female pastor of Faith Chapel Episcopal Church. Looking for a fresh start in the quaint and tranquil southern Californian small-town, she is due to meet Father Christopher Weaver but he is a no-show. The rector who offered her the post is apparently late so Hope has a wander around... and stumbles upon odious church elder Stanley King in the wall crypt - his skull crushed by a fallen burial urn.

It is wonderful to start a cozy mystery series from the very beginning and I jumped into Hope, Faith, and a Corpse enthusiastically. This super new series has a fabulous, engaging main character. Laura Jensen Walker's new sleuth Hope is smart, caring and determined and her sister-in-law Virginia added brazenness and some support for Hope whilst keeping me fully entertained. Many of the characters had something to offer, be it wit, kindness or friendship and most were well fleshed-out. I was right there alongside Hope as she uncovered facts and deciphered the clues and it was interesting to learn a little about Hope's love for classic films. The murderer was a surprise to me as was the final twist and of course, I enjoyed Bogie's part in the proceedings. I'm already looking forward to the next instalment!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

This was such a fun and different cozy mystery! I really liked Pastor Hope as a main character. She's absolutely a hoot, and I got the biggest kick out of her quoting movies, dancing around her house while she cleaned (much to the shock of the older congregation members, namely Marjorie!) and just her overall sense of humor. I enjoyed the little italics that indicated her thoughts to herself, those were so funny and spot on. I figured when a book started with someone getting bopped on the head with an Elvis garden gnome, the rest is going to be just as much fun!

Father Christopher was a great boss, and I loved how sweet and fair he was when it came to hiring a new office assistant, a high school senior who the older ladies didn't approve of simply because she had a tat. What an assortment of crazy and interesting characters in this town though! There were so many that I wasn't sure in the beginning if I'd ever get them sorted out, but it wasn't a problem. They all started having their separate moments with Pastor Hope, so it was easy to get to know them that way. Her pastoral visits (where she could do her investigation as well) were a great way to hone in on the various congregation members.

I definitely didn't see it coming with who ended up as the killer! It was a very refreshing non-nail biting showdown, or maybe I should say the killer had a come-to-Jesus moment. There was a side mystery that tied in with one of the families in town, but didn't have anything to do with the current murder. It was still interesting and revealed even more about some of the characters. I'm very anxious to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this books provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

The first book in a new cozy mystery series by the author Laura Jensen Walker and the first book I have read by her. I loved this one!! I am still new to the cozy mystery genre and am slowly feeling my way through the different books and series I am getting my hands on and I think I will enjoy this particular series. Hope Taylor who comes to Apple Springs, California to take up the position of the first female pastor of Faith Chapel Episcopal Church is, to me, a cross between Geraldine Granger and Father Brown. I loved the setting, all the eccentric, quirky and cute characters most of whom are above the 50 years bracket, the witty banter and humour. Even the mystery of who killed the hateful Stanley King has its fair share of twists and turns since almost the entire town is quite glad to be rid of him.

Entertaining and a lot of fun to read, I look forward to reading more of the series.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author for the e-Arc of the book. This book was published on 12th January 2021.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

This series wasn't for me but someone else may like it more. Happy reading. You may like it more then I did

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the Faith Chapel mystery series by Laura Jensen Walker.

This book had a unique protagonist I had not come across before. Not only was she a sleuth in the making, she was a pastor! What a great idea for a story concept. Just totally loving it!

There is a lot going on in this sleepy little town, so you better pay attention. The first thing Pastor Hope does is find a dead body and immediately become suspect number one. What a way to start off a new job in the ministry. The minor characters are out of this world awesome. Just loving the heck out of this new series by Walker. Can’t wait for more tales and adventures.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Rev. Hope Taylor had arrived for her first day at her new parish where she had been assigned as Pastor of Pastoral Care at Faith Chapel Episcopal Church. She learned two things that first day. First, she learned that it would be difficult as a woman to serve as a pastor at the small church located an hour east of Sacramento. Second, she would learn that there was a dead body in the small worship center located off the main sanctuary - a dead body that was not supposed to be there and who was still laying in his own blood.

I was surprised that a more liberal church would have the same kinds of problems with a female pastor as the conservative churches I am familiar with - people walking out when she started to preach, having doors closed in her face when visiting parishioners, or being accused of Stanley King’s murder by church members.

Nobody was terribly upset that Stan had died, he was not a likable man; but none of the many suspects would confess to his murder either.

Matters got worse when a skeleton was dug up by Bogie, Hope’s dog, in her backyard. Things were going from bad to worse for the new pastor.

The church had its normal mix of jealousies, secrets, and control issues. I felt at home. At the same time we get a glimpse of God’s grace at work as Hope and her new friends zone in on solving, not one, but two murders. With a combination of honesty, humor, and history, the author has crafted a delightful weekend’s reading. Music from the 60s and 70s and black and white movies added color to the book. I give the book five-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Oh my, Hope Taylor is a woman I would surely be friends with. We share our Wisconsin roots, we hear our mother’s voice in our heads – “a place for everything and everything in its place” all the time, our inner thoughts sometimes roll off our tongues and escape out our mouths, we both love old black and white movies and can quote lines perfectly if necessary. She even has a labrador named Bogie.

Hope in the new associate pastor at Faith Chapel Episcopal Church and her first day doesn’t get off to a good start. While trying to locate the lead pastor, Father Christopher, she finds church elder Stanley Kind instead. He just happens to be dead in the columbarium with a crushed skull and a bloody urn by his side. She had only met the man once and he was drunk and not very supportive. When two parishioners find her and the deceased that quickly jump to the conclusion that she killed the man. Being a murder suspect was not the fresh start she was hoping to have. Now she is going to have to prove herself to her new congregation and clear her name.

Laura Jensen Walker introduces some fantastic characters in this first Faith Chapel Mysteries. Not only do I love Hope but her sister-in-law Virginia too. She drops everything to come to Hope’s aid and she is a whole lot of fun. I also liked the technology-challenged Father Christopher. He reminded me of one of my former pastors. There are several other characters that remind me of people in my life. Bogie also stole my heart immediately. All the characters are believable and some are very quirky. They were all very fleshed out for the first book in the series.

The life of a small-town church is accurately portrayed. While not a pastor, I worked for our small town church for several years in different capacities and everything from the fundraisers to the services rang true, as did the dealing with the variety of members’ attitudes and feelings.

The victim was truly a despicable man so there was no shortage of suspects. The more I learned about him I was surprised he lived as long as he did. Another mystery involves a skeleton found buried in Hope’s backyard. Both mysteries are well-plotted and interesting. I really enjoyed doing some armchair sleuthing of my own as Hope was trying to uncover all the facts she could. Several twists and a little legwork brought the real culprit to light. The author’s descriptive writing style made everything clear in my mind’s eye each and every step of the way. The final twist was quite a surprise.

Hope, Faith, and a Corpse was a heavenly read. I loved the way humor was woven liberally throughout the entire story. I truly didn’t want to reach the end. I am very excited about this series. I can’t wait for book two! I have hope and faith that this series is going to be a must-read for cozy lovers everywhere. A Perfect Escape!!