Death in Salem

Written by Eleanor Kuhns

Narrated by Susie Berneis

It's 1796, and traveling weaver Will Rees is visiting Salem, Massachusetts. He's in town to buy a luxurious gift for his pregnant wife. While traveling through Salem, however, Rees comes upon a funeral procession for the deceased Mrs. Antiss Boothe. When Rees happens upon Twig, a friend who fought alongside him in the war, he learns that Mrs. Boothe had been very ill, and her death had not come as a surprise. But the next morning, Mr. Boothe has also died - and this time it is clearly murder. When the woman that Twig loves falls under suspicion, Twig persuades Rees to stay in Salem and help solve the murder. Everyone Rees meets seems to be keeping some kind of secret, but could any of them actually have committed murder?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media Audio
• Release date: Jun 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781681410944

Eleanor Kuhns

Eleanor Kuhns is the 2011 winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel competition for A Simple Murder. The author of seven previous Will Rees mysteries, she is now a full-time writer after a successful career as the Assistant Director at the Goshen Public Library in Orange County, New York. www.eleanor-kuhns.com

Reviews for Death in Salem

[katebaxter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This fourth installment in the historical Will Rees Mystery series is wonderfully atmospheric. It is set in 1796 Salem, Massachusetts - roughly 100 years after the witch trials. However, superstitions are still quite plentiful and one can easily use that to one's advantage. Of equal abundance, are the red herrings in this well developed story. There are so many possible motives which come into play. It appeared as though right up until the end, the hero was still attempting to make sense of the goings on in this town and was hopeful someone would misstep and all would be made clear. Having spent many a weekend in Salem with my father during my youth, I was transported to the old wharf and again walking through the old narrow streets. The underground tunnels are very real and tell tale of a smuggler's paradise and the ever hopeful Freedom Train. Author Eleanor Kuhns richly captures the essence of this old whaling and merchant ship town. She keenly develops her characters and deftly describes the sights, sounds and smells of a long forgotten age. I look forward to grabbing copies of her other books in this series, "A Simple Murder", "Death of a Dyer", "Cradle to Grave", and "The Devil's Cold Dish", and reliving my New England upbringing surrounded by history. I am grateful to author Eleanor Kuhns and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for having provided a free copy of this book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.

[silversreviews · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Traveling through Salem on his way home, Will Rees encounters an old friend and becomes involved in a murder investigation at the request of his friend, Twig.Rees wonders how he became involved in this investigation when all he wanted was to go home and see his wife, Lydia. Could he bring her here to help?I enjoyed the time period DEATH IN SALEM was set in but am glad I didn't live then. Horse and buggies, no phones, women who had to stay home, women who were not allowed to be educated, some women who couldn't even read. What a time to be a man, right?Being a man meant being a sailor or a merchant in this town. And being a wealthy merchant in this case was bad for Jacob Boothe. His wealth may have been what got him murdered.But, who was the murderer of not one but now two people and then a third? Could Will figure it out or is his investigation putting him in danger.It took a few pages to become part of the story, but I enjoyed DEATH IN SALEM. I liked the characters and the storyline. The characters perfectly portrayed the era. The storyline kept me guessing until the end. The wrap up and solving of the murder was unique.The storyline definitely held my interest, and I am going try some of Ms Kuhn's other books. Murder and mishaps prevailed along with authentic characters who got the job done.DEATH IN SALEM is a book historical fiction and murder fans do not want to miss. 4/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Will Rees is called upon to investigate the stabbing of a Salem shipping magnate named Boothe in this work of historical fiction. Soon other murders follow. Rees follows leads that take him into Salem's tunnels, into the shady part of town called Black Cat, and to other areas. He must also determine if smuggling had a role in the deaths. The novel is a bit conversation-heavy and did not maintain my interest well. Sentences seemed choppy instead of well-constructed, adding to the problems. I suspect that some readers will enjoy this more than I did. Persons who have read the earlier installments in the series might also appreciate it more. The review is based on an advance reader's e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.