Amanda Flower won the 2022 Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery for her first one featuring Emily Dickinson and her maid Willa Noble, I Could Not Stop for Death. Those who enjoyed the mystery that introduced the Dickinson family will welcome the sequel, I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa Alcott are visitors to Amherst, Massachusetts. But, Emily and Willa are still involved in a murder investigation.
Emily’s brother, Austin Dickinson and his wife, Susan, are back to move into their new home across the street, Evergreens. And, their first guests are Emerson and his secretary, Luther Howard. Emerson plans to lecture at the local college, talking about writing, and the Dickinsons plan to attend the lectures. Luther doesn’t make a good impression on Emily when he can’t take charge of her gift of flowers for Emerson, complaining he suffers from hay fever. He does make an impression on the younger of the sisters. Willa and Emily both notice that Miss Lavinia responds to his flirtations. One of the gardeners even sees them kissing.
Willa is upstairs and overhears when Emerson berates his secretary for stealing his writing, and trying to pass it off as his own. He even tells him he’s fired, but can stay until the end of the week. Luther Howard doesn’t get that chance because he has some sort of reaction at dinner that night, and he’s found dead in the garden. In order to help a fellow employee, Willa lies and says she was the first to find the body. She can’t lie to Emily, though. Emily’s not unhappy to see him dead. When the police eye the Dickinson family, though, Emily ropes Willa into investigating with her. Emily feels the family’s reputation in Amherst is at stake if they’re associated with the murder.
With writing and women’s roles at the heart of this novel, the killer only comes as a slight surprise. However, Flower is adept at misdirection. The police have their eyes on several suspects, and Emily and Willa suspect one other before the true killer is revealed.
It’s the 1850s in Amherst, Massachusetts. Class differences, women’s roles, and the abolitionist movement are all hot topics. While Flower brings Emerson to Amherst to talk about literature, there’s so much underlying the gossip and investigations in this enjoyable historical mystery.
Amanda Flower’s website is http://www.amandaflower.com/
I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower. Berkley, 2023. ISBN 9780593336960 (paperback), 352p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a galley through NetGalley to review for a journal.
That title is something else – ha! I have not read the first book in the series, but I have been aware of it. Will put this one on my list as well. I kind of have to be in the mood for these type of historical mysteries. Thanks for the thoughts on this one!
I hear you, Kay. You do have to be in the mood since it’s slow-paced. I’m currently reading her forthcoming one about Katharine Wright, sister of the Wright Brothers, and I had to set it aside for something more current.
I won this one on Goodreads! Looking forward to it, as I liked the first in the series.
I did, too, Margie. I’ll look forward to your review some Thursday.
Must be very good.
I really like all these issues and the writers of that period but have trouble with the idea of Emily Dickinson as the sleuth. I thought she was a recluse. It could be that is an old idea since I haven’t studied US History since high school. This is fun to think about in any case, thanks for highlighting the book!