Synopses & Reviews
Will Rees is adjusting to life on his Maine farm in 1797, but hes already hungering for the freedom of the road, and his chance to travel comes sooner than he expects. Lydia has just received a letter from her old friend Mouse, a soft-spoken and gentle woman who now lives in the Shaker community in Mount Unity, New York. To Lydia and Reess astonishment, shes in trouble with the law. Shes kidnapped five children, claiming that their mother, Maggie Whitney, is unfit to care for them.
Despite the wintry weather and icy roads, Rees and Lydia set out for New York, where they sadly conclude that Mouse is probably right and the children would be better off with her. Theres nothing they can do for Mouse legally, though, and they reluctantly set out for home. But before theyve travelled very far, they receive more startling news: Maggie Whitney has been found murdered, and Mouse is the prime suspect.
In Cradle to Grave, Eleanor Kuhns returns with the clever plotting, atmospheric historical detail, and complexly drawn characters that have delighted fans and critics in her previous books.
Review
Praise for
Cradle to Grave"Vivid and historically accurate…The atmosphere is often grim, as secrets are kept and revealed. Kuhns brings the political and social customs of the time to life with telling details and exact language."—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
"Another eminently readable historical mystery, set in the post-Revolutionary years, from librarian Kuhns."—Booklist
"Intriguing…readers will sympathize with Will, whose interactions with the children spur deep guilt about how uninvolved he was in the raising of David, his grown son."—Publishers Weekly
Praise for Death of a Dyer
"With an exquisite touch at the historical mystery, as well as memorable characters and an intriguing story line, Kuhns again displays the skills that made her debut, A Simple Murder, a prize winner. And in Death of a Dyer, she expands on that success with a whodunit that works on multiple levels and provides manifold satisfactions."—Richmond Times-Dispatch
"What is fascinating here is watching how Rees motivation increases with the difficulty of the investigation…Finding excuses and opportunities to investigate reveals the admirably flinty character of this sometime sleuth. Kuhns creates a marvelously chilly atmosphere throughout this suspense tale about seemingly upright people guarding evil secrets. Rees, the weaver, is a wonderful creation."—Booklist (starred review)
"Kuhns follow-up to Wills debut offers a sensitive look into matters of the heart woven into a nifty puzzle."—Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Kuhns hits all the right notes—a clever plot, well-rounded characters and a rich sense of place, time and culture—as she successfully weaves all elements together into an intelligent whole."—
Richmond Times-Dispatch"The third in this series is notable for developing the characters of Will and Lydia, whose personal lives take a turn in the closing pages. Another eminently readable historical mystery, set in the post-Revolutionary years, from librarian Kuhns."—Booklist
"Vivid and historically accurate…The atmosphere is often grim, as secrets are kept and revealed. Kuhns brings the political and social customs of the time to life with telling details and exact language."—RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
"Intriguing…readers will sympathize with Will, whose interactions with the children spur deep guilt about how uninvolved he was in the raising of David, his grown son."—Publishers Weekly
About the Author
ELEANOR KUHNS is the 2011 winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition. She lives in Campbell Hall, New York, received her masters in Library Science from Columbia University, and is currently the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York. Cradle to Grave is her third novel.