A Simple Shaker Murder

By Deborah Woodworth

Book Overview

Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Sister Rose Callahan's Shaker village of North Homage is surviving nicely. Now they have visitors--a group of "reformers" hoping to create a utopian community that allows more freedom. Rose is disturbed by the group's attitudes...and stunned when one of their members is found hanging from a tree. The police are quick to rule the death a suicide but as Rose is leaving the orchard she notices a child hiding in a tree. She is Marin, the orphaned foster child of the dead man, and Rose believes she may have witnessed the hanging. The little girl appears to be deeply troubled, and Rose is shocked to discover the cruelty and neglect that has cursed her short life. Rose's fears grow as Shaker beliefs are challenged, questions about the death remain unanswered, and the little girl draws strange and mysterious pictures of her dreams...images revealing a terrible evil, and the danger that someone may be plotting to silence the only witness to a murder.Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Sister Rose Callahan's Shaker village of North Homage is surviving nicely. Now they have visitors---a group of "reformers" hoping to create a utopian community that allows more freedom. Rose is disturbed by the group's attitudes...and stunned when one of their members is found hanging from a tree. The police are quick to rule the death a suicide but as Rose is leaving the orchard she notices a child hiding in a tree. She is Marin, the orphaned foster child of the dead man, and Rose believes she may have witnessed the hanging. The little girl appears to be deeply troubled, and Rose is shocked to discover the cruelty and neglect that has cursed her short life. Rose's fears grow as Shaker beliefs are challenged, questions about the death remain unanswered, and the little girl draws strange and mysterious pictures of her dreams...images revealing a terrible evil, and the danger that someone may be plotting to silence the only witness to a murder.Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, Sister Rose Callahan's Shaker village of North Homage is surviving nicely. Now they have visitors---a group of "reformers" hoping to create a utopian community that allows more freedom. Rose is disturbed by the group's attitudes...and stunned when one of their members is found hanging from a tree. The police are quick to rule the death a suicide but as Rose is leaving the orchard she notices a child hiding in a tree. She is Marin, the orphaned foster child of the dead man, and Rose believes she may have witnessed the hanging. The little girl appears to be deeply troubled, and Rose is shocked to discover the cruelty and neglect that has cursed her short life. Rose's fears grow as Shaker beliefs are challenged, questions about the death remain unanswered, and the little girl draws strange and mysterious pictures of her dreams...images revealing a terrible evil, and the danger that someone may be plotting to silence the only witness to a murder.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380804255
• ISBN13: 9780380804252
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

A Simple Shaker Murder

I have recently discovered this wonderful protaganist, Rose Callahan, she takes you to a world, completely different from one we could ever experience. The series is easy reading, with so many twists, I'm reading so fast I feel like I am wearing the Shaker Dress trying to run! I love all the Herb references, makes me wish I could join! Very enjoyable series, can't wait for the next book.

A warm hearted sleuth

The fourth Sister Rose Callahan Mystery takes place during the 1930s in Northern Kentucky. Sister Rose is the Elderess of the North Homage Shaker Village. She has a keen interest in a group of New Ownites who have come to observe them. Her first introduction is when a member of theirs is found hanged. Sister Rose discovers a possible witness and takes her in. (I found the scenes between Sister Rose and Mairin sweet and poignant.) Rose has many questions about the other group, such as: What do they want? Will they talk the Elder into change? Will they steal members away from their declining village or just take over? Was the hanging suicide or force? Is her group in danger? And most of all who does Mairin belong to and what will happen to her?A Simple Shaker Murder is truly a good mystery, certainly fascinating with the 1930's depression era and Shaker theme. With a flurry of Shaker details, Deborah Woodworth's latest whodunit takes us down an ever-moving trail of twists and turns. Readers will find Sister Rose a formidable Elderess and sleuth capable of solving the crime and finding the answers to her own questions.