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A Simple Murder Audiobook
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(3.00) - 323 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
1796: When traveling weaver and former soldier Will Rees learns that his son David has run away, he immediately sets out after him. After tracking him down at a Shaker settlement near Durham, Maine, Will unexpectedly finds himself heading a murder investigation. As he adapts to the ways of the Shakers he begins to discover that some members of the community may hold clues to solving the case, but uncovering those clues will also reveal dark secrets that could threaten the whole community; meanwhile, the body count continues to rise. In this outstanding debut, Eleanor Kuhns has crafted an atmospheric and authentic portrait of a compelling time in history that will leave listeners on the edge of their seats.
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"This book should please readers who like historical mysteries. I didn't know anything about the Shakers before reading the book and found the setting quite interesting. The plot is great, but at times I felt lost in the abundance of characters and the family relationships between them."
— Mickey (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Kuhns’ intimate voice and all-seeing eye make [the Shaker community] seem an exotic world indeed. But she also shows that greed, envy, and materialistic values are nothing if not universal.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“This outstanding debut won the 2011 Mystery Writers of America/Minotaur Books First Crime Novel Competition, and it’s as good an argument for continuing these contests as it gets. Kuhns, a career librarian, delivers a superbly researched and beautifully crafted historical mystery.”
— Toronto Globe & Mail -
“A Simple Murder works as an intense historical but also a heartfelt story about families, especially the bonds between fathers and sons, and the grievances that can pull relatives apart…Kuhns’ affinity for showing the complicated relationships that drive people shines in this strong debut.”
— Kansas City Star -
“Kuhns’s closed-room mystery is refreshingly original, both for its setting and time period. In keeping with her protagonist’s profession, Kuhns weaves together disparate threads into a beautiful finished piece.”
— Library Journal (starred review, Debut of the Month)
A Simple Murder Listener Reviews
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" I really liked this delightful historical murder mystery set in post Revolutionary Maine among a Shaker community. Kuhns gives the reader an excellent sense of life of the times as well as an intriguing mystery. "
— Ma'lis, 2/19/2014 -
" I had hoped to learn much more about the Shakers from reading this book than I did - that was my first disappointment. My second was the resolution which was depicted in classic Agatha Christie style with all the suspects gathered together in order to find out who was lurking about the Shakers in disguise, who had murdered several members of the community and why and what was the impact of the terms of a little-known will. Perhaps I would have empathized more with the protagonists if I had been better informed about what life with the Shakers was like but there weren't enough details about the religious movement or why anyone would choose it to make me care. On the other hand, it was a gentle mystery with some romance. Ok but not spectacular to my taste. "
— Ellen, 2/14/2014 -
" This is a new author who won an award from the Writers of America for "First Crime Novel". It is a probably going to be a series with the character William Rees who is a traveling weaver set in the late 1700's. This book was set in a Shaker community so that and time period made it interesting. He was always driving his cart back and forth to town -very time consuming... For an award winner, I can't say the writing was above average. "
— Susan, 2/12/2014 -
" Interesting period and setting. An enjoyable read. "
— Laura, 2/1/2014 -
" Was okay and I did want to know the ending. "
— Gayle, 1/31/2014 -
" I was a lucky recipient of this book from a First Reads giveaway. I enjoyed this story very much, it was a pretty basic plot, but the shaker element added some new insights and kept it interesting. "
— Afton, 1/30/2014 -
" I just finished A simple murder. I won it through first reads---Thank you. very much. I enjoyed reading about a totally different way of life. The author had a good story line,but I wish there hadn't been so many characters to keep track of and I would have ended the book differently. I would read another book when she writes it, this being her first. Thank you again "
— Becky, 1/29/2014 -
" 3.5 Not the greatest plot, but the Shaker background was interesting. "
— Lynn, 1/26/2014 -
" First Crime Novel winner and one to watch. Great background dealing with the Shaker communite. "
— Charlene, 1/19/2014 -
" I liked this book. It had a lot of characters that could have been the villain. "
— Mary, 12/30/2013 -
" Solid mystery... set in a Shaker community. "
— Jessie, 12/9/2013 -
" A Simple Murder=a simple book. No character development, simple plot and a no brainer on the murderer. "
— Cheryl, 12/3/2013 -
" Nice twist at the end, though I did see some elements coming. Deliberate pacing fit the time and place (18th century Shaker community). Nice growth in the character, as he reunites with his son at a Shaker community. Oddly, I found several typos in the text. "
— Kathyred, 9/19/2013 -
" This was a very interesting read. Made me want to study the Shaker Religion. "
— Toni, 10/24/2012 -
" A really nice story an interesting time. "
— Mary, 9/14/2012 -
" I made it through one chapter . . . barely. "
— Christy, 7/18/2012
About Eleanor Kuhns
Eleanor Kuhns is the 2011 winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition. She lives in New York, received her master’s in library science from Columbia University, and is currently the assistant director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York.
About Richard Waterhouse
Richard Waterhouse is an actor, teacher, director, and producer who is featured in the Hallmark Christmas classic Moonlight and Mistletoe and the independent feature Karl Rove, I Love You. He lives with his partner in Newbury, Vermont.