Review
By Edith Maxwell
A QUESTIONABLE DEATH AND OTHER HISTORICAL QUAKER MIDWIFE MYSTERIES takes a quick look into the rich life of Quaker Midwife Rose Carroll as she solves a variety of crimes. It is an anthology of ten historical short stories featuring midwife Rose Carroll and her friends. This delightful collection gathers previously published Quaker Midwife short stories adding two never before published stories. These quick reads take us to a time before we meet Rose, to when she was just an apprentice, and then continues as the midwife gains investigative skills, finding justice for murder victims as well as helping bring new life into the world.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the author's note before each story. Each one shared how the story came to be and, in some cases, where it had originally been published. Having read all of the full length Quaker Midwife mysteries, it was interesting to see the genesis of some of the full length mysteries in the short stories included here.
Although these are short stories, each can easily be read in one sitting, they are all rich in detail, capturing the sights and sounds of late 19th century America. I appreciate the appearance of John Greenleaf Whittier and enjoy the juxtaposition of Quaker beliefs with the violence of murder.
Smart female characters, interesting historical facts, and ingeniously plotted mysteries with a bit of Quaker practicality make A QUESTIONABLE DEATH AND OTHER HISTORICAL QUAKER MIDWIFE MYSTERIES a delightful read.
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