When Sister Mary Aurelius is murdered in front of the shuttered Immaculate Conception school outside of Boston, former student Rosaria O'Reilly is determined to find justice for her mentor.The Malford Police have identified a mentally unstable homeless man as the killer, but Rosaria wasn’t trained to settle for the easy answer. With help from a close childhood friend, Nuncie DiStephano, now losing the struggle with an aggressive cancer, her investigations unravel a much larger, more sinister story.Working sometimes as an adversary, sometimes as a partner with Malford Police Detective Leo Gelenian, she pieces together the motive, method, and identity of the murderer through confrontations with a powerful real-estate developer, a vicious Boston crime boss, and an autocratic monsignor with passionate ambitions for his prestigious Catholic high school.The Immaculate is a complex murder mystery with a deep sense of place, a compelling storyline, richly developed characters, and a satisfying surprise ending. Marian McMahon Stanley’s The Immaculate draws the reader in with a haunting murder victim, Sister Mary Aurelius, who is as widely beloved as she is feared. A taut, character-rich whodunit. - Hallie Ephron, New York Times bestselling author, Night Night, Sleep Tight Marian McMahon Stanley leads us deep into a well-written web of secrets, past transgressions, and interwoven relationships in her debut Boston-based mystery. Protagonist Rosaria O'Reilly is a smart amateur sleuth determined to unearth the true killer of her beloved Sister Mary Aurelius. You’ll be a faithful fan of Stanley’s work when you finish this tale of ambitions and betrayals, powerful figures with something to hide, and enduring childhood friendships. This is a story which grows more compelling page by page. - Edith Maxwell, Agatha-nominated author, Quaker Midwife Mysteries and Local Foods Mysteries Each discovery is linked to the next until an edifice of lies and deception crumbles, leaving nothing for the villains to hide behind. Tightly plotted with satisfying twists, the story ends with an unexpected revelation. - Susan Oleksiw, author, Mellingham Mysteries