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Will Rees Mysteries #4
Death in Salem
It’s 1796, and traveling weaver Will Rees is visiting Salem, Massachusetts. He's in town to buy a luxurious gift for his pregnant wife, a few yards of well-made fabric from the traders at the famed Salem harbor. While traveling through Salem, however, Rees comes upon a funeral procession for the deceased Mrs. Antiss Boothe. When Rees happens upon Twig, a friend who fought alongside him in the war, he learns that Mrs. Boothe had been very ill, and her death had not come as a surprise. But the next morning, the town is abuzz with the news that Mr. Boothe has also died—and this time it is clearly murder. When the woman that Twig loves falls under suspicion, Twig persuades Rees to stay in Salem, despite the family waiting for him back home in Maine, and help solve the murder.
Rees is quickly pulled into the murky politics of both Salem and the Boothe family, who have long been involved in the robust shipping and trading industry on the Salem harbor. Everyone Rees meets seems to be keeping some kind of secret, but could any of them actually have committed murder?
Will Rees returns in Death in Salem, the next delightful historical mystery from MB/MWA First Novel Competition winner Eleanor Kuhns.
Rees is quickly pulled into the murky politics of both Salem and the Boothe family, who have long been involved in the robust shipping and trading industry on the Salem harbor. Everyone Rees meets seems to be keeping some kind of secret, but could any of them actually have committed murder?
Will Rees returns in Death in Salem, the next delightful historical mystery from MB/MWA First Novel Competition winner Eleanor Kuhns.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2015
16 people are currently reading
1443 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Kuhns
21 books1,263 followersEleanor is a lifelong librarian. She wrote her first story at the age of ten and hasn't stopped since. She lives with her husband and dog in New York State.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 5, 2017
Received through FirstReads...
I had a bit of a hard time getting in to this book, so I was happy when it really picked up about 50 pages in. The characters were well developed, and though some of them were only minor players, they were still done with care, which is often not the case. I really enjoyed the way this was structured like an old-fashioned mystery, especially the final few pages. You don't find that much anymore, and it brought me back to childhood, when I would read old mysteries I found at my grandparents. Well done.
I had a bit of a hard time getting in to this book, so I was happy when it really picked up about 50 pages in. The characters were well developed, and though some of them were only minor players, they were still done with care, which is often not the case. I really enjoyed the way this was structured like an old-fashioned mystery, especially the final few pages. You don't find that much anymore, and it brought me back to childhood, when I would read old mysteries I found at my grandparents. Well done.
April 17, 2020
My one criticism of this book is that it goes on too long. It is quite an involved plot with many characters; so perhaps that is why it seemed long to me. I have really enjoyed this mystery series based in early America, and I stayed with it. Author, Eleanor Kuhns has written several more books, but this book is the last my library has in an Audiobook. For anyone who enjoys historical fiction, I do recommend these books that gives a unique perspective of life in early America.
September 20, 2022
I haven't read any of this author's previous books, so that's perhaps one of the missing dimensions here, as it did seem that there was some history I wasn't aware of. I actually picked this up by mistake, thinking it was another non-fiction book about Salem ('tis the season), so I decided to give it a read anyway. I do like historical fiction, and this one was at least capable.
It tells the (continuing?) story of Will Rees, a weaver who is visiting the notorious Salem village to purchase some fabric for his wife, and, to perhaps make a little extra money to support his growing family. He encounters an old friend from the War (Revolutionary) who is now an undertaker, and who enlists him to help solve the mystery of the murder of a man, which has involved the friend's fiancee, who is initially suspected of the crime, being one of the household servants. What follows is an involved web of intrigue about the complex politics and inner workings of this somewhat fictional town of Salem, a hundred years after the notorious witch trials, which the book doesn't dwell on in great depth.
Some of the age-old rivalries and conflicts between families persist, however - in this case, between merchant/shipping and whaling families, old and new money - which was certainly nothing new in this historic town with a dark past. I think that's more what I was hoping for: a town coming to terms with what happened in its history, over the course of a century, but that wasn't really a part of the story, which was disappointing. I do read a fair bit about the Salem events, but rarely see material related to what happened in the decades following the events where dozens of people lost their lives.
Then again, perhaps that's just us from the future imposing guilt on people who lived there in the succeeding decades, whose distant relatives may have been involved, but who didn't give much thought to events that didn't really touch their lives in any significant way after the fact. The day-to-day struggles for survival were probably far more paramount, with involvement in the witch trials a century past earning little more than a footnote in many family histories, which, by most accounts, those involved wished to put solidly behind them in any event (i.e., Nathaniel Hawthorne, who changed the spelling of his name to separate himself from one of his relatives who served as a judge during the witch trials).
Don't want to give too many spoilers here, just some observations: as some other readers have noted, the story tended to lag a fair bit, but the characters were well-developed, each with a deep and often tragic history of their own, in keeping with the time period, where death and disaster never seemed to be far away. The pretext is curious: a man who had solved a crime during the war being enlisted as something of an eighteenth-century private investigator (was there actually such a thing) by a friend to solve a murder, which the local sheriff doesn't seem terribly interested in... until other people start dying. A weaver/private investigator seems a curious concoction, which kept an otherwise average story more interesting. It also relies on thick description of the scenes to fill in some of the lags in the plot, but in this case, it's reasonably effective, as it's entertaining, at least to me, to read of descriptions of what a town of this period would have been like. Enjoyable overall, just a bit slow and cumbersome for my liking.
It tells the (continuing?) story of Will Rees, a weaver who is visiting the notorious Salem village to purchase some fabric for his wife, and, to perhaps make a little extra money to support his growing family. He encounters an old friend from the War (Revolutionary) who is now an undertaker, and who enlists him to help solve the mystery of the murder of a man, which has involved the friend's fiancee, who is initially suspected of the crime, being one of the household servants. What follows is an involved web of intrigue about the complex politics and inner workings of this somewhat fictional town of Salem, a hundred years after the notorious witch trials, which the book doesn't dwell on in great depth.
Some of the age-old rivalries and conflicts between families persist, however - in this case, between merchant/shipping and whaling families, old and new money - which was certainly nothing new in this historic town with a dark past. I think that's more what I was hoping for: a town coming to terms with what happened in its history, over the course of a century, but that wasn't really a part of the story, which was disappointing. I do read a fair bit about the Salem events, but rarely see material related to what happened in the decades following the events where dozens of people lost their lives.
Then again, perhaps that's just us from the future imposing guilt on people who lived there in the succeeding decades, whose distant relatives may have been involved, but who didn't give much thought to events that didn't really touch their lives in any significant way after the fact. The day-to-day struggles for survival were probably far more paramount, with involvement in the witch trials a century past earning little more than a footnote in many family histories, which, by most accounts, those involved wished to put solidly behind them in any event (i.e., Nathaniel Hawthorne, who changed the spelling of his name to separate himself from one of his relatives who served as a judge during the witch trials).
Don't want to give too many spoilers here, just some observations: as some other readers have noted, the story tended to lag a fair bit, but the characters were well-developed, each with a deep and often tragic history of their own, in keeping with the time period, where death and disaster never seemed to be far away. The pretext is curious: a man who had solved a crime during the war being enlisted as something of an eighteenth-century private investigator (was there actually such a thing) by a friend to solve a murder, which the local sheriff doesn't seem terribly interested in... until other people start dying. A weaver/private investigator seems a curious concoction, which kept an otherwise average story more interesting. It also relies on thick description of the scenes to fill in some of the lags in the plot, but in this case, it's reasonably effective, as it's entertaining, at least to me, to read of descriptions of what a town of this period would have been like. Enjoyable overall, just a bit slow and cumbersome for my liking.
July 3, 2015
Death in Salem is the fourth book in the Will Rees Mystery series by author Eleanor Kuhns. Death in Salem is the first book in the series that I have read. It definitely will not be the last.
As a Canadian, I did not learn American history in school. Most of the things that I know I learned by reading books. Reading a delightful novel is the best way to learn history in my opinion! I always enjoy reading books in historical settings.
I've been to Salem before and was very intrigued by the witchcraft history. Eleanor Kuhns does a fabulous job of bringing this dark and fascinating period in history to lift. Will Rees is visiting Salem in order to buy a gift for his wife. He is caught up in a murder involving the Boothe family as his old friend Twig's girlfriend is under suspicion.
I love the authenticity author Kuhns brings to Death in Salem. She portrays the darkness of Salem vividly. Her characters really bring Salem in the late 1700s to life. I enjoyed the twists in the plot and the mood of the novel.
Great historical mystery! Loved learning more about this period. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
As a Canadian, I did not learn American history in school. Most of the things that I know I learned by reading books. Reading a delightful novel is the best way to learn history in my opinion! I always enjoy reading books in historical settings.
I've been to Salem before and was very intrigued by the witchcraft history. Eleanor Kuhns does a fabulous job of bringing this dark and fascinating period in history to lift. Will Rees is visiting Salem in order to buy a gift for his wife. He is caught up in a murder involving the Boothe family as his old friend Twig's girlfriend is under suspicion.
I love the authenticity author Kuhns brings to Death in Salem. She portrays the darkness of Salem vividly. Her characters really bring Salem in the late 1700s to life. I enjoyed the twists in the plot and the mood of the novel.
Great historical mystery! Loved learning more about this period. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 24, 2015
I received a free copy of Death in Salem from Goodreads First Reads. I had no real knowledge of the background to this novel, and I learned a whole lot about the shipping families, the beliefs in witchcraft, and of course, the culture of that time.
I enjoyed reading this book because of the main character and also because of his relationships with other people. Will Rees is a weaver by trade and a detective by nature. He is able to solve not one but many mysterious deaths by observing, questioning, and refusing to let go of an idea.
I enjoyed reading this book because of the main character and also because of his relationships with other people. Will Rees is a weaver by trade and a detective by nature. He is able to solve not one but many mysterious deaths by observing, questioning, and refusing to let go of an idea.
October 13, 2022
Omg. I so wish I could stop reading a book when it’s the worst, but alas I cannot. How many shakers of Zion references were not subtly placed in this?! Have been on a witch kick lately and def willing to sacrifice quality to get my autumnal fixed but wowoowow, this was just. Not about witches. Or anything Rly 😂😂
June 16, 2016
Another in the series of Reese the weaver /investigator. This one is in Salem.
December 10, 2025
This review is a very, very late NetGalley review from the first time I logged on, requested a bunch of books, and promptly forgot the website existed for years. This is the very last review I owe in that backlog, and I am very proud to have cleared this list!!!
Death in Salem is the 4th Will Rees murder mystery in the series. I have not read the others, but it did an excellent job of referencing earlier installments without making me feel like I had missed too much to enjoy this as a standalone. It is very twisty, with a large cast of characters. The location of Salem was only mildly important to the story, and that was more as a seaside community than as a witch trial hotspot. I thought Rees was likeable, if a little stuffy at times. It reminded me of a Louise Penny novel in that I was easily able to walk away and return without feeling lost in the narrative despite the complex mystery. My only complaint is that there was often too much telling and not enough showing, but I did find the whole thing satisfying as a classic murder mystery novel.
Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, SMP and Eleanor Kuhns for their infinite patience!
Death in Salem is the 4th Will Rees murder mystery in the series. I have not read the others, but it did an excellent job of referencing earlier installments without making me feel like I had missed too much to enjoy this as a standalone. It is very twisty, with a large cast of characters. The location of Salem was only mildly important to the story, and that was more as a seaside community than as a witch trial hotspot. I thought Rees was likeable, if a little stuffy at times. It reminded me of a Louise Penny novel in that I was easily able to walk away and return without feeling lost in the narrative despite the complex mystery. My only complaint is that there was often too much telling and not enough showing, but I did find the whole thing satisfying as a classic murder mystery novel.
Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, SMP and Eleanor Kuhns for their infinite patience!
April 14, 2020
This is the 4th book in the series.
It's 1796. Will is a traveling weaver/loomer from Maine. He travels to Salem (MA) to get some fabric so dresses can be made for his pregnant wife, Lydia. While he is in Salem, he witnesses a funeral procession and then realizes that the town's undertaker is a friend of his. His friend, Twig, informs Will that he believes the person who dies was murdered. Twig knows Will has untied the knots of mysteries in the past and solved murders so he asked Will to look at the body and meet the family. One of the family members hires Will to stay in Salem and solve the murder of his dad. During the course of Will's investigation, he sends Twig to Maine to get Lydia because she provides him with another perspective.
Lydia is from the Shakers and was raised in an affluent family in Boston. She has a child from her first marriage and is pregnant with her first child with Will. They have also adopted four other kids. Each book in the series is a different mystery that needs to be solved.
It's 1796. Will is a traveling weaver/loomer from Maine. He travels to Salem (MA) to get some fabric so dresses can be made for his pregnant wife, Lydia. While he is in Salem, he witnesses a funeral procession and then realizes that the town's undertaker is a friend of his. His friend, Twig, informs Will that he believes the person who dies was murdered. Twig knows Will has untied the knots of mysteries in the past and solved murders so he asked Will to look at the body and meet the family. One of the family members hires Will to stay in Salem and solve the murder of his dad. During the course of Will's investigation, he sends Twig to Maine to get Lydia because she provides him with another perspective.
Lydia is from the Shakers and was raised in an affluent family in Boston. She has a child from her first marriage and is pregnant with her first child with Will. They have also adopted four other kids. Each book in the series is a different mystery that needs to be solved.
July 18, 2019
I am loving this American historical fiction series! This series is set in the Maine territory (Maine was not yet a state) in the 1790's . However, this outing is wholly set in Salem, Massachusetts, because main character Will, a traveling weaver by trade, was asked to investigate a murder there. He felt he had to try to assist his friend, Twig, who saved his life when they were soldiers together in the Revolutionary War. The mystery becomes quite complicated as the bodies pile up. There is terrific living history as we read about the port and the docks and the underground tunnels of old Salem. I had to look up a couple of terms, even "bluestocking," which I think I knew but had forgotten. There is also some plot concerning characters who are ladies of the night. Maybe it was a bit too complicated for me (and almost too complicated for Will), but everything is resolved in the end (as it always is with this series).
September 18, 2019
This is the 4th Will Rees book that I have read--the thing that I like about it, besides the immediately post Revolutionary War time period and that it is set in Maine, is that Will himself is a flawed individual, and the cases that he investigates have a real sense of the vagaries of human character. People have likable and unlikable traits in equal parts. In this book he travels to Salem to buy upscale cloth and gets involved in the investigation into the murder of a prominent merchant. Enjoyable.
November 3, 2019
Will Rees is failing as an investigator. Not so much in the finding the guilty department, as in the staying conscious and not stained with his own blood part. That's a helluva way to find out that you might be on the right track. He has, however, come to appreciate his wife's contributions to his queries; he's relying more and more on her help in gently interrogating female victims and suspects alike, and her insights have resulted in narrowing the scope of - and bringing clarity to - their efforts. They've truly become a team.
March 9, 2017
In this fourth in the Will Rees series, Will and eventually his wife Lydia are far from home. Again Will is asked by a friend, this time a man he served with in the Revolutionary War, to get his fiancée out of jail when she is accused of murdering her employer. There are lots of candidates for the murder of a fine merchant and ultimately two others. The solution is clever and very satisfactory. You don't have to have read the earlier books in the series to enjoy this one.
July 6, 2017
This is my least favorite of the Will Rees series so far.
Rees is in Salem to buy fabric for his pregnant wife when he encounters an old Revolutionary War comrade. After his friend's girl friend is accused of a murder, Will steps in to help.
Not having his wife along for the first part of the book may be one of the reasons this one fell short for me. But it is still a strong series filled with great characters and decent plot lines.
Rees is in Salem to buy fabric for his pregnant wife when he encounters an old Revolutionary War comrade. After his friend's girl friend is accused of a murder, Will steps in to help.
Not having his wife along for the first part of the book may be one of the reasons this one fell short for me. But it is still a strong series filled with great characters and decent plot lines.
May 26, 2017
Death in Salem by Eleanor Kuhns, is a good murder mystery and very entertaining.
The book is easy to read, with lots of murder suspects, which leaves the reader guessing right until the end of the book.
I recommend this book for all ages.
I won this book through Goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book
The book is easy to read, with lots of murder suspects, which leaves the reader guessing right until the end of the book.
I recommend this book for all ages.
I won this book through Goodreads. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book
November 16, 2022
Pretty good. I like the development of Will's character now that he has a wife that he loves and has learned some "life lessons" over the past few books. The mystery he finds himself in here is interesting but not really compelling. And the ending/resolution is just okay. And honestly, the "bringing everyone together at the end" to do a big reveal is really overdone. And not just in this series.
September 21, 2024
I love a good mystery and this book had LOTS of it. Rees needs to find out who is killing all these people fast as the body count just keeps getting higher. Will he be able to figure this tangled mess out before someone else dies? I just couldn't get enough of this story and where it would lead. So good with such great characters to work with. I LOVED this book!
April 12, 2020
Throughly enjoyable. The perfect escapist read during the pandemic. Will Rees enmeshes the reader in late 18th century Salem, Massachusetts' shipping industry and the secrets of the families behind these empires.
September 19, 2022
It was an ok read. Light in description and sort of straightforward without the fluff. But imo, fluff is what gives the story and characters depth, which I felt was missing a great deal from this story.
December 8, 2023
I enjoyed this but it wasn't as good as book 3.
This one didn't have all the family dynamics I love.
I loved the conversations about the roles of women in this book and the general discussion of social issues at the time.
The mystery itself was just okay.
This one didn't have all the family dynamics I love.
I loved the conversations about the roles of women in this book and the general discussion of social issues at the time.
The mystery itself was just okay.
April 3, 2024
I found this book to be difficult to relate to the characters. The murder plot was very complex. There were modern issues described, such as interracial relationships and the role of women in business. Although these are important topics, they probably weren’t issues in colonial Salem.
June 12, 2018
Interesting learning about the time period and the shipping industry.
September 22, 2018
Will Rees investigates the murder of Mr. Brooks following the death of his wife. It is an interesting historical mystery set in Salem Ma.
June 29, 2019
Couldn’t get by the fourth chapter.
August 18, 2019
Read pre Goodreads.
October 16, 2020
The American Sherlock solves another one!
And I do LOVE early American History.
And I do LOVE early American History.
June 18, 2021
I'd like to see this made into a movie
December 31, 2022
The book really dragged on. Interesting for its historic atmosphere but the ending was poor. I would give it 2 1/2 stars.
March 18, 2024
Interesting tale. Lots of layers. A few unanswered questions.
April 12, 2024
Much less weaving, but interesting mystery set in early Federal New England. I enjoy Will Rees; he's a real, live human with frailties.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews