BOOK REVIEW: Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier

Old Habits Die Hard by Melissa Westemeier

Nun the Wiser Mysteries Book 1

Tule Publishing (April 2, 2025)

Meddling and murder can both be deadly sins

When retired nun and teacher Sister Bernadette returns with her fellow residents to The Abbey: Senior Living, she is the first to discover the body sprawled in the hallway of the converted school where she once taught English and now lives. Instead of freezing with horror, Sister Bernie has questions. Lots of them. Why does Toni Travi, the bedazzled and bejeweled resident from apartment 218, have so much chest hair? Did anyone at The Abbey know Toni was a man? Was Toni’s death related to allegations that she cheated at cards? Where’s the murder weapon? Who had motive? And did someone kill Toni, or the man hiding beneath the Revlon foundation and blonde wig?

Detective AJ Lewis is in charge of the investigation though Sister Bernie acts as if he is still her student. With unholy stubbornness, she dogs his every step, eavesdrops, sneaks beyond the police tape and offers unsolicited conjecture and clues. He wants to keep her safe, but she’s determined to lend a helping hand—it’s her habit, after all!

BUY LINKS AND EXCERPT

Old Habits Die Hard – Tule Publishing Group |

REVIEW

A nice easy read and a light-hearted mystery. I liked the setting of a former monastery/school turned into senior living apartments. It full of quirky residents. Sister Bernadette, a former teacher at the school, knows the ins and outs of the building and the residents. One of her prior students is now a detective and in charge of the investigation. Bernie just wants to be helpful (and nosey) and tends to meddle. A good start to a new series.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (March 7, 2025)

eARC provided by publisher

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Westemeier grew up around the edge of nerd culture, but marriage and motherhood with three sons immersed her in it. She’s fluent in Marvel, DC, Dr. Who, Star Wars, Godzilla, and more thanks to their influence. Her fiction work includes rom-com and a trilogy loosely based on her experience tending bar on the Wolf River in Wisconsin. She’s thrilled to realize her childhood dream of writing murder mysteries. Her books blend her humor and appreciation for nerd culture while tackling serious themes and unpacking the puzzle of whodunnit (and how and why!). In her spare time, Melissa needs to be outside or near a window. Her passions include hiking, swimming, biking, reading, and fantasizing about her next vacation