2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming Historical Mystery, September 25, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Sins of a Shaker Summer: A Sister Rose Callahan Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
Most people probably don't know what a Shaker is. I certainly didn't when I bought "Sins of a Shaker Summer" at a book sale several months ago. I was just looking for a new mystery to read, and I really didn't pay too much attention to the description on the back cover. It was on sale; what more can I say? :)
For those who don't know, a Shaker is a member of a sect, like the Quakers, that began in the 1700s. The name "Shaker" referred to their spirit-inspired trembling, which you'll witness in the book. Today, their communities are almost nonexistent, but some Shaker villages have been restored for public view, particularly in the Northeast.
"Sins of a Shaker Summer" takes place in North Homage, Kentucky, during the 1930s when the Believer population was still existing. Sister Rose Callahan is the eldress of the village and the leading sleuth in this series. She's helped by a young friend of hers, Gennie Malone, who had once been part of the community but now lives "out in the world".
The mystery begins when two young girls are found ill after they ingested several poisonous plants on accident. Rose immediately suspects the four new Believers who have transferred from another Shaker village in New York. All of them have some knowledge of herbal medicine, but one individual remains a strong suspect: Patience McCormick. However, when Rose finds Patience dead with a wound to the back of her head, she realizes she was mistaken and that the killer will do anything to keep his/her secrets hidden.
"Sins of a Shaker Summer" is a charming historical mystery. There's nothing offensive in this book, so it's appropriate for all ages. If you've already read this third installment in the Sister Rose Callahan series, I would encourage you to read the other four books: Death of a Winter Shaker (#1), A Deadly Shaker Spring (#2), A Simple Shaker Murder (#4), and Killing Gifts (#5).
It's not necessary to know anything about Shakers before you approach this book. Their lifestyle is gradually explained throughout the book without it reading like a history textbook. Although the lifestyle didn't appeal to me, some readers will probably love their simple way of life.
While I was reading "Sins of a Shaker Summer", I kept thinking about the movie Witness starring Harrison Ford. It's the only film I'm aware of that involves another similar group: the Amish. I would recommend this movie if you like the Shaker / Amish theme, but only if you don't mind the extra sex and violence, which "Sins of a Shaker Summer" has none of.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A shakin' good read., May 31, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Sins of a Shaker Summer: A Sister Rose Callahan Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
An intricate and fascinating mystery, Sins of a Shaker Summer provides an intimate glimpse into a way of life that is all but gone. Woodworth's Shaker mysteries are all top-notch. Anyone who likes a good mystery will enjoy this trip into the strange and compelling world of the Shakers. Highly recommended.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical mystery worth reading, January 30, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Sins of a Shaker Summer: A Sister Rose Callahan Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)
In the Shaker village of North Homage, Kentucky seven-year-old Betsy and eight-year-old Nora becomes deathly ill from eating and/or drinking "pretend tea" and "magical flowers". When the two unconscious youngsters are found, the entire Shaker community becomes shaken by their tortorous struggle to survive. Eldress Rose Callahan believes the two little girls ate poisonous herbs found in the community's Medicinal Herb Shop that is experimenting on various formulas.
Rose begins her investigation by interviewing the sisters and brethren who work at the shop. Brother Andrew Clark heads the activity and shows proper deference to his equal. However, the other shop employees act as if they still feel the taint of the outsiders. Rose turns to a former protégé now living on the outside, who knows herbs, to help her discover the truth. However, even in the peaceful world of the nonviolent Believers, lives an individual who will kill anyone, including Rose, who
gets too close to their secret.
The Sister Rose Callahan series is always a delight as the novels provide readers with a wonderful mystery and fabulous insight into the bygone world of the Shakers. The current tale, SINS OF A SHAKER brings both elements together in a taut story line. The who-done-it is entertaining, but it is the beliefs and customs of the Shakers inside a fabulous mystery tale that makes Deborah Woodworth's novel worth reading.
Harriet Klausner
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