The Church Mothers’ Detective Agency

The police have a suspect. The church has a scandal. The mothers have questions.

After Wednesday night Bible study at New Covenant Baptist Church in Oakland, controversial councilman Victor Hale is found dead in the pastor's office. Pastor Elijah Grant is standing beside the body with the apparent murder weapon in his hand—and he refuses to explain the private meeting that brought Hale to the church. The police see a straightforward case. Bernice Coleman sees an untouched cup of coffee, a broken timeline, and far too many people eager to close the investigation before Sunday service.

Bernice, a sixty-seven-year-old retired court clerk, knows procedure and recognizes when facts do not fit. Her three closest friends bring skills no official task force can duplicate: salon owner Gloria King hears every rumor before it becomes public; church kitchen director Ruthie Mayfield remembers every meal, allergy, grievance, and plate served; and retired chemistry professor Dr. Maxine Porter can test the physical evidence while questioning whether she still belongs in the church she once loved. Over pound cake and strong coffee, the four women form an unofficial detective agency.

Their investigation uncovers a neighborhood redevelopment fight, restricted church money, a vulnerable witness hidden from a dangerous man, and a campaign network built on favors and fear. Every clue that might clear Pastor Grant threatens to expose another secret he was willing to sacrifice his freedom to protect. Meanwhile, Bernice's nephew—the detective assigned to the case—would very much like his aunt and her friends to stop interviewing witnesses, examining anointing oil, and treating the fellowship hall like an evidence room.

Warm, witty, and rooted in the intelligence of community, The Church Mothers' Detective Agency: The Pastor's Last Amen is a fair-play cozy mystery featuring four older Black women who are observant, capable, funny, and impossible to intimidate. The story combines an ingenious, non-graphic murder puzzle with family drama, Oakland neighborhood life, church politics, chosen sisterhood, and a thoughtful distinction between faith and flawed authority. It is ideal for readers who enjoy recurring amateur-detective ensembles, clever clues, community secrets, intergenerational relationships, humor without caricature, and mysteries that end with both accountability and hope.

Join the church mothers for their first clever, warm, and unforgettable case.