Charity’s Burden (A Quaker Midwife Mystery)
In the winter of 1889, Quaker midwife Rose Carroll cares deeply for her patients in Amesbury, Massachusetts. She understands the financial difficulties of poor families with many children, and she is careful not to judge when it appears that Charity Skells is hemorrhaging from something other than a miscarriage.
When Charity dies, an autopsy reveals unusual injuries, and Rose is determined to discover who might have harmed her and why. The case is complex, with Charity’s unfaithful husband the likeliest of several suspects. The animosity of the new chief of police makes Rose’s search for the killer—along with detective Kevin Donovan—even more difficult.
Rose Carroll, the protagonist, is portrayed on the book’s cover wearing glasses and dark, modest clothing. This is true to her characterization throughout the novel. She is not the typical beautiful young rebel defying authority to forge her independent path through life. Rose is a young woman trying her best to obey the rules and strictures of Quaker beliefs. While occasionally she sees the need to bend the rules, her efforts to live by her basic moral compass remain true.
The strength of this novel lies in its accurate depiction of the many characters living in and around the town of Amesbury. The farming families, the postmistress, and Faith, the young bride, combine to portray a richly interconnected community. The portrayal of the Quaker congregation is an added dimension to the novel. It brings a direct simplicity that makes a pleasant change within this genre. This is the latest in the series of Quaker Midwife Mysteries.
