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There are currently 39 member reviews
for A Simple Murder
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Anna S. (Auburn, AL)
A Not-So-Simple Murder
I enjoyed the story and learned a great deal about the Shakers, and I really wanted to be able to rate the book higher. There were two things that I found off-putting. First, I found the dialog and general sensibility more typical of the 21st Century than the 19th, and second, there were too many loose ends left hanging.
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Paula K. (Cave Creek, AZ)
Amazing First Novel
A Simple Murder is the first published book by Eleanor Kuhns and I had the good fortune of receiving a First Impressions copy. The book is terrific – an amazing first effort and even better, promises a series. I became so enthralled with the characters, the locale and the mystery, I read the book over a period of two days! The story is set in 1796 when widower William Rees, a weaver by trade, returns to his farm from a round of travels, only to discover his 14-year old son, left in his sister’s keeping, has left home to join the Shakers. Rees travels to the Shaker community to bring his son home and is requested to solve the murder of a Shaker sister. This was the book’s one soft spot – the implausibility of why both the town sheriff and the Shaker elder would approve of an outsider to solve the crime, and Rees’ son’s recommendation that his father be considered for the task. The younger Rees is full of recrimination for his father’s abandonment at the hands of his aunt who packs him off so she and her nasty husband can assume wrongful ownership of Rees’ farm. In addition to Rees’ work to solve the murder, there are many dynamics at work in the book and many characters that can be a bit tricky to track. The Shaker village setting is most compelling and the selfless devotion to community an interesting counterpoint to the greed that serves as the backdrop of the book. I enjoyed learning a bit more about the Shakers and found the language and descriptions to be quite authentic. The resolution was terrifically satisfying and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I am a fan!
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Carolyn L. (Cincinnati, OH)
Add this book to your summer reading list
For Will Rees chasing after his son, David, ends up in a Shaker village called Zion. Not only does Rees have to resolve a broken relationship with his son, he also becomes enmeshed in solving a murder that takes place in the village.
While the story is somewhat predictable, the characters are engaging in this easy to read mystery. Not only does the mystery get solved, but several of the characters overcome personal issues and challenges that have been festering for some time. As you plan your summer reading list, A Simple Murder is worthy of a day of reading at the beach.
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Marlys D. (Grand Rapids, MI)
A Simple Murder
I liked this book well enough, but did not think it was exceptional. I questioned whether the action & dialogue were appropriate to the time period. Also, the ending felt a bit too much like Nero Wolfe transported back in time. That said, it was an easy, enjoyable read.
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Carol P. (Mendham, NJ)
Good Mystery
I was interested to read a Simple Murder due to the time period it took place -1796. I did find the mystery of the murder, the main character's sleuthing skills and the characters in the story interesting however I did not feel immersed in the time period. I was also disappointed in the ending which was very abrupt. I did not experience the resolution I expected to tie up all the characters in the story. I would recommend this book to young adults. The author did write a clever mystery. I would have loved to have the author bring more of this extraordinary time period after the Revolution into the story.
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Jennifer F. (Saratoga, CA)
Intriguing mystery with unsatisfying ending
A Simple Murder was a unique book in that it was set within a Shaker community in the early 1800s. The characters were believable and interesting and the plot was compelling, but I felt the author lost ground with an ending that didn't live up to the rest of the book.
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Rosemary T. (San Antonio, TX)
A Simple Murder
An unusual "who done it" which occurs in an unlikely setting. Although the storyline did hold my interest, I had some trouble keeping all the characters straight and felt that some of the key players could have been developed better. The ending left me wondering if the author plans a sequel.
