Judge Thee Not

Edith Maxwell

Sept 2019 · Quaker Midwife Mysteries Book 5 · Beyond The Page

About this eBook

“Elegant and well-crafted, rich in period detail, Edith Maxwell’s latest foray is a stunner!” —Susanna Calkins, author of the award-winning Lucy Campion Mysteries and the Speakeasy Mysteries

 

Quaker midwife Rose Carroll must fight bias and blind assumptions to clear the name of a friend when a murderer strikes in nineteenth-century Massachusetts . . .

 

No stranger to judgmental attitudes in her small town of Amesbury, Quaker midwife Rose Carroll is nonetheless stunned when society matron Mayme Settle publicly snubs her good friend Bertie for her nontraditional lifestyle. When Mrs. Settle is later found murdered—and a supposed witness insists Bertie was spotted near the scene of the crime—the police have no choice but to set their sights on the slighted woman as their main suspect.

 

Rose is certain her friend is innocent of the heinous deed, and when Rose isn’t busy tending to her duties as midwife, she enlists the help of a blind pregnant client—who’s endured her own share of prejudice—to help her sift through the clues. As the two uncover a slew of suspects tied to financial intrigues, illicit love, and an age-old grudge over perceived wrongs, Rose knows she’ll have to bring all her formidable intelligence to bear on solving the crime. Because circumstantial evidence can loom large in small minds, and she fears her friend will soon become the victim of a grave injustice . . .

 

Praise for the Quaker Midwife Mysteries:

 

“Through Quaker Rose Carroll’s resourceful sleuthing—and her midwifery—we are immediately immersed in the fascinating peculiarities, tensions and secrets of small-town life in late-19th-century Amesbury.” —Susanna Calkins, author of the award-winning Lucy Campion Mysteries and the Speakeasy Mysteries

 

“Edith Maxwell’s latest Quaker midwife mystery teems with authentic period detail that fascinates as it transports the reader back to a not-so-simple time. A complex, subtle, and finely told tale, Judge Thee Not ’s sensitive portraits and vivid descriptions, along with Rose Carroll’s humanity, intelligence, and—yes—snooping, make this a sparkling addition to a wonderful series. A sublimely delightful read.”

—James W. Ziskin, author of the award-winning Ellie Stone Mysteries

 

“The historical setting is redolent and delicious, the townspeople engaging, and the plot a proper puzzle, but it’s Rose Carroll—midwife, Quaker, sleuth—who captivates in this irresistible series . . .” 

—Catriona McPherson, Agatha-, Anthony- and Macavity-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series

 

“Not only is it a well-plotted, intelligent mystery, it also shines light on how women were treated—and, in many cases, mistreated—by people they trusted for help in desperate situations. Highly recommended.” —Suspense Magazine

 

“Clever and stimulating novel . . . masterfully weaves a complex mystery.” —Open Book Society

 

“Riveting historical mystery . . . [a] fascinating look at nineteenth-century American faith, culture, and small-town life.” 

—William Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Cape Cod and The Lincoln Letter

Ratings and reviews

A fantastic fifth mystery in this superb series, full of period details and so very enjoyable! As a friend, Rose Carroll has a fine moral compass; she believes in accepting everyone as they come so when disparaging comments are made about her friends she finds it quite offensive, and regards the accusers with disdain. Going about her normal midwifery duties, it's not long before she hears of another murder in the small town of Amesbury and despite trying to avoid being sucked in, soon finds herself pondering on who and why . . . I love this series! The details are limitless and reflect the impeccable research which the author obviously undertakes. Perfect for the period it's set in, I never fail to be mesmerised with life in the 19th century and Rose's forward thinking Quaker ways. I'm rather fascinated with the religious details, and love learning more about the faith. As well as a murder to solve and the continuation of Rose's midwife practice, we are also privy to how her relationship with her betrothed, David, is progressing and it all adds up to a very exciting and interesting read! A fine addition to the Quaker Midwife Series, and I do hope there are more to come; I feel as if I know Rose, her family and friends rather well now and would like to extend my acquaintance! I also follow this author's writing as Maddie Day, and can highly recommend all her novels. This is a fabulous five star read!

I enjoyed this novel very much! The mystery and its solution is intriguing, the underlying premise a challenge the world has faced since the Garden of Eden, that of judging – or better, not judging – others. The characters are beautifully three-dimensional; Carrie and her friends, old and new, and family are engaging and likable. The historical details of 1889 New England reflect many advances we have seen in just 130 years! Most of us tend to judge people who are different from us. Mayme Settle is a vociferous example, first by her refusal to let Bertie, the postmistress, serve her at the Post Office, her reaction to Jeanette, a brilliant blind woman, and the unwed mothers at Alms Farm. Rose Carroll, the delightful young midwife who has helped the local police solve several murders, even witnesses how rude Mayme can be to her husband when he interrupted the Ladies’ Circle at her home. Rose was stunned the following day to hear that Mayme was found dead in her bed by her poor maid that morning. Unfortunately, Kevin Donovan, the police detective who has become, with his wife and genius son, Rose’s friend, is questioning her friend Bertie. Bertie, as postmistress in Amesbury, has been the subject of several people’s dislike because of her “Boston marriage” to attorney and partner Sophie. It was only the day before that Mayme publicly aired her disgust at Bertie’s living arrangements. Later that evening the banker, Irvin Barclay, claims to have seen Bertie at the Settle’s home during the time frame that she could have been murdered. Barclay brings his young wife, Sissy, to Rose’s home that day to oversee her pregnancy. An opinionated man, he doesn’t understand why Sissy would see a midwife instead of a doctor. Sissy is less than half his age, but is very clear that she wants a midwife, not a male doctor. The sweet young woman is pregnant with twins and afraid of being sent back to her family should she lose them. His first wife was unable to bear children and died mysteriously. Barclay is as opinionated as Mayme, attested to by Jeanette, another client of Rose’s. Jeanette is blind, fluent in English, French, and Polish, and works at the court as a verbal interpreter for immigrants who have yet to learn English. It seems that everyone Rose meets knows something about Mayme Settle; she has aggravated many with her opinions and judgements. Some, like Jeanette, take her words with a grain of salt while others have much bigger heartaches. When trying to understand who would benefit from her death, there are some who could sate their desire for revenge, and at least one who might benefit financially. I was captivated by this novel from the start. Learning more about real historical people such as John Whittier, a bit about being blind in those years, the knowledge Rose has as a midwife, and fashions that make life more accessible, such as the split skirt, is interesting. Studying the clues, especially of those judged harshly, and trying to arrive at who the real killer was a true challenge! I was quite surprised at the ending and satisfied with the resolution! I highly recommend this to fans of the author and Quaker Midwife series and those who like well-written historical cozy mysteries. And those who might want to challenge themselves to Judge Thee Not! From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

About the author

Agatha- and Macavity-nominated author Edith Maxwell writes the Amesbury-based Quaker Midwife historical mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries, and award-winning short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. A long-time Quaker and former doula, Maxwell lives north of Boston with her beau, two elderly cats, and an impressive array of garden statuary. She blogs at WickedAuthors.com and KillerCharacters.com. Read about all her personalities and her work at edithmaxwell.com.