by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of Second to Nun, along with a link to purchase the book.

In the years since she left the convent, Giulia Driscoll has transformed remarkably. Not only is she an accomplished and professional private investigator, she is also the very happy wife of police detective Frank Falcone. While she and her staff at Driscoll Investigations are perfectly comfortable catching philandering cheaters and insurance fraud, Giulia is more than a little startled to have her latest case be an undercover mission to exorcise a malicious ghost. MacAlister Stone was told by a New Age Tarot Card reader that Giulia is the Veiled Woman who can solve Mac’s problems, and while Giulia might doubt that proclamation, she doesn’t question the fee.

Giulia doesn’t believe—or disbelieve—in ghosts, but she does feel that Mac is plagued by a very corporal threat, so she decides to stay overnight at Stone’s Throw, a non-working lighthouse on Conneaut Lake. With Frank delayed before he can join her, Giulia finds herself in the midst of a “tame” psychic who entertains guests on a regular basis, a YouTubing guest who’s recording every embarrassing encounter, and treasure seekers on the hunt of a rumored hoard of lost gold coins. As Giulia comes to suspect that she may be getting played by either her client or the psychics, very real acts of violence prove that the ghosts are more than just clever sight gags and tricks.

Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of this series is how Giulia has matured and developed as a character. From her first appearance shortly after leaving her convent, Giulia has grown more confident and comfortable with her independence. Sadly, she has also lost her innocent belief that all people are good at heart, and now views the world through far more cynical eyes. What Giulia has never lost have been her sense of humor and her ability to surprise others with her intelligence and cleverness.

Author Alice Loweecey, herself a former nun, brings to Giulia inner conflict, residual guilt, and disillusionment. That doesn’t mean that is isn’t also an immense amount of cynical humor, and how can you not love an author who quotes from the movies Airplane and Young Frankenstein? Giulia’s recent marriage adds a delightful dash of romance, but the real appeal of this series is her genuine likability and a fiery independent streak that could never be hidden behind a veil.

To enter to win a copy of Second to Nun, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Nun,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 3, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

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Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).