The Long Shadow of Murder

by Eleanor Kuhns

When the body of a visitor is found in the woods by the local Shaker community, suspicion immediately falls on them. Rees is reluctant to believe anyone in this peaceful community committed murder. And Hans Bergin arrived with his wife, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They had their own reasons to want Bergin dead.

But as Rees investigates, he discovers everyone, including a recent Shaker convert, have secrets of their own, some stretching all the way back to the Revolutionary War.

Who, among the many suspects, decided to take matters in their own hands? Bergin's wife and other family? The new Shaker? Or someone else entirely?

Genres: Mystery

326 pages, Paperback

Published May 15, 2025

About the author

Eleanor 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.

Reviews

[Samfreene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Long Shadow of Murder: Eleanor Kuhns

In the Shaker community there are protocols that are in place. Will Reese and Constable Rouge are enlisted to search for a possible dead body. It’s possible Hans Bergin is missing and another speculation is whether he’s been murdered or just off track and missing. Us where is his horse? How and why did it As Rees glanced down at the steep gully with trickling snow and other hazards, Blood. As he continued to search he found the corpse in an unusual state in some places. Who’s murder him and leave all of his valuables on him?

Both the Constable and Rees had to lift and place the body over his horse and bring it to Dr.Ned the ME who told them how he was killed in a horrible fashion .

Then going to Mrs. Kitt and where they lived, she took his wife aside while Mr.Arborvert went with Rees to identify the body.
Lydia is the wife of Rees having second child but the Constable wants her to assist in questioning the women.
How do you tell someone your brother in law is killed. Mr. Arborvert is the man he told and the surgery unit Hans. Plus his possessions all there and where will his wife inter him? Just how and when and where he died is horrible. Rees tell his wife Lydia he’ll tell her more and was Mr.Arborvert honest?
Then rehashing what he knows about the Shakers and Hans why would someone kill him and Bergin and his wife were guests of Mrs Kitt’s boarding house and Rouge seems to like her.



Then Rees and Lydia will help conduct the interviews with the women and those involved. It first meet his children and Anne who takes care of the youngest and others. Jerusa is amazing making sure her sisters and brothers keep up with studying and school work. Then now for the interviews and more. However Mrs. Bergin shed some light on Hans and Mr. Arborvert who decided to go out and not return until later in the day. Why did Rees think after talking to his wife and Mrs. Bergin suspects her sister having had an affair with Hans. Could she or her husband murder Hans? Betrayal at the core and more to come.
Questions for both Atroverts gives Rees and Lydia wondering what was the relationship with his wife and Hans? Then more about the business plus Catherine Howe and her two sons fighting and why dinghy hate each other there us more?
Questions among themselves and rehashing answers just where did Atrovert go on an errand? What about his wife why so upset about Hans and what about his wife?
Rouge, Rees and Lydia are in the bar as Rouge wins it and discussion cones about and Mrs. Kitt is the topic for Rouge hoping to catch her attention.
Conversation changed and Rees and Lydia went to Zion and questioned Brother Johnathan about Havs and Atrovert wanting to attend Shaker services and turned away. Where did they go, where is Atrovert now?
Sister Esther worries Lydia and no one saw in which direction Mr. Bergen rode on Surry Road.
Then Sister Esther won’t see Lydia and Brother Jonathan tells if the death of Brother Aaron then finding Brother Ephraim. Learning how this religious group undertakes their religious rituals and more.

The Shakers are officially known as the United Society of Believers of Christ’s second appearing a religious sect that originated in England as an offshoot of the Quakers.

Events tense up as Rees and Lydia complete their questions with Ephraim and find Rouge outside their door with more tragic news as Mr. Atrovert is body 2. How you won’t believe. Then the condition horrific and then Dr. Ned needs him to be taken to the surgery for autopsy. But first how to move the body and who might be the suspects. The author has created many murders executed in similar fashion but sine more horrific. Home family then Lydia documented all the events t.
Dreams entered Rees’s mind and graphic visions of the murders. Mrs.Antrovert told them a limited amount of information and now they knew she lied and will live with her sister for now. How will that work out when the truths are revealed? Who was unfaithful and why?
Then Rouge confronted The Elder and threatened to arrest him and no access to speak to Ephraim. Why? Role of Captain Martin many players in this!
Esther and Lydia talk out their differences and religion is a prime concern plus the death of Aaron. She did not want to see Rees or Lydia for personal reasons and a secret she and Brother Aaron kept.
Questions asked of Mrs.Bergin and Mrs. Atrovert lies included plus questions to Catherine Howe and rude, harsh and practically throwing
to follow. Mrs. Martin next stop and she offered information about Hans and Catherine and the reaction to his words. Much more is hidden and another visit to Catherine. Then why is Rouge in his house with the kids, Anne, Thomas and Ephraim? Questions asked and a plan for the next day to see Captain Martin again. Jerusa is my favorite and it smart and perceptive as she uncovers why Denis does not want to work in the wagon shop. He’d prefer fine carpentry. There’s more!
Another murder plus Hans and that’s 3 what’s the reason and who’s behind it all ?
Dr.Burke and Rees plus Rouge see the body of Mrs.Martin and more questions arise and then what’s next? Plus whilst the Martin house on fire?
As the incidents are analyzed different perspectives came across and thoughts of who might be the killer varied. Learning the history of Ephraim will it help the investigators
It gets more intense as Rees, Lydia and Mrs Kitt, Mrs Bergin and Rouge each take apart different pieces of the murders but Lydia’s statement is most accurate. Requestioning Mr.Martin and is there a connection between his wife and Just how will this all turn out and who benefits from the murders ?
Much more to untangle and just where does Ned fit in ? Then talk about the murders but more to come about the baby and Mrs.Kitt on Mrs. Martin and Bergin.
As events are discussed and who might be the killer, you have no idea how it happened and who was hiding it plain sight.
A war that haunts so many and how all the players are in o e room and the killer revealed. Questions still needing answers an an author who ties it up in a creative way like Rees and Lydia as we get a twist and surprises at an ending only Eleanor Kuhns can
Fran Lewis just reviews

[T.G. Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Long Shadow of Murder is an amateur sleuth mystery. Seven children—soon to be eight—and a large farm keeps Will Rees busy, but he still has time for murder. A visitor to Durham, Maine is missing. Rees and Rouge, the tavern owner and constable, find the man’s body in a valley outside of town with his wallet and his jewelry intact, the search is on in Durham and the nearby Shaker community of Zion. When another body is found and then a third, the question is what connects the victims and will lead to a killer.

Bottom line: The Long Shadow of Murder is for you if you like whodunnit mysteries immersed in historical fiction.

The Long Shadow of Murder tells the story of Will Rees, a forty-something veteran of the War for Independence. While farming is Will’s day job, he is the amateur detective assisting and often leading this murder investigation with Durham’s constable, Rouge. His wife, Lydia, assists and is especially gifted are drawing out information and reading between the lines…and lies. The mystery is interwoven with stories from Will and Lydia’s homelife. Lydia is about to give birth. With the five children they adopted and Will’s son by his first marriage, that makes eight Rees children, plus Annie, the young women who lives in and helps with the house who is about to marry her Thomas.

As our detective, Will is readily likeable. He is committed to solving the question of who did it and squarely faces the facts of the case as well as the suspects. Lydia and Rouge are solid complementary characters who round Will out, kick in an insight or two, and act as a sounding boards.

This mystery will really appeal to those who love historical fiction. Kuhns not only did her homework to understand the hows of daily life of the late 1700s and early 1800s but wove them in casually, painting pictures rather than lecturing. From Spring mud to weddings and childbirth from wagon designs meant for families and girls’ education, we see life for an average Maine family as it was lived.

Standing at the end of this one and looking to the beginning, I have a few questions. Whodunnit mysteries are my favorite genre and I don’t just read them, I play along. My strongest criticism here is that there were few clues given connecting the killer to the crime or ruling out suspects, even as the body count grew. Mystery lovers who read as ride-alongs to the detective likely will have no issue.

Will Rees is a continuing featured detective for Kuhn with this being the 12th book in the series. It was the first I read. Readers of previous stories will enjoy this newest installment. Those like me who are new to the series can jump in right here. The mystery is stand-alone. Kuhn gives us enough backstory on Rees’s family and characters featured in other books to understand who they are, the role they play, and the connection to the Rees family.

The Long Shadow of Murder is engaging and entertaining with added fun for lovers of colonial era historical fiction.

[Katreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER by Eleanor Kuhns
The Twelfth Will Rees Mystery

Though he'd prefer to return home to his pregnant wife curiosity propels Will Rees to help his friend Constable Rouge search for a missing man. The search for a missing man soon turns into a search for a killer as they find the man, bludgeoned to death near the Shaker Community. While Rouge is quick to believe a Shaker has done the deed, Rees is not so sure. Who would have wanted Hans Bergin dead? He was a visitor who had only recently arrived. Certainly the killer must be someone from his party. As Rees and Rouge search for clues they soon discover Bergin antagonized everyone he met in the short time he was there. Could his killer be further afield?

I enjoyed returning to Maine in the very early 1800s. Even more than working with Rouge I like how Rees engages his wife in solving the murder, and the fact that she helps while both heavily pregnant and then with a newborn! In fact it is her insight that actually solved the crimes. The mystery was complex and I wasn't sure "who done it", especially after the third event. Like Rees, I sure hoped it wasn't Ephraim, but, also like Rees, I didn't count him out!

I appreciate that THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER deals with complex subjects including post traumatic stress disorder, albeit not by that, or any name. Ephraim and Rees both fought in the Revolutionary War and Esther is grappling with a different, but still traumatic event. Each suffers in a different way and it's heartening to see if they can help each other.

While life is challenging in the twelfth Will Rees Mystery there's also humor. I admit getting a kick out of Mrs. Bergin, Rouge's attempts at flirting, and Ephraim's running away at the wedding! There's also the love of the Rees family that is heartwarming.

With a distinct historical setting THE LONG SHADOW OF MURDER provides a complex mystery that engages and entertains.

[Andi (ittybittybookmama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, let me say that I love a book with short chapters like this one. Easily digestible and keeping you turning pages. It’s also great when stories jump straight in to the action and this one wastes no time. Being the 12th book in a series not much time is spent introducing characters, but since it can also be read as a standalone it is honestly not needed. Although there are several mentions of things that happened in the past, which I am sure were mentions of things from previous books, I didn’t feel lost. If anything, it just made me want to go back and read more of the series. I loved that this story featured a whole little town of quirky and likable characters, however, you don’t know who can be trusted and are suspicious of them all. The scenery, descriptions, and dialogue serve to paint a great picture and transport you back to a post-revolutionary America. And I personally haven’t read a lot of historical fiction from this time period so it was a nice change. Definitely not as exciting as some mystery/suspense I have read but overall, a great laid back historical fiction story with plenty of mystery, suspense, and a super shocking twist!

Many thanks to Eleanor Kuhns and Partners in Crime Tours for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the 12th installment of The Will Rees mystery. In this installment we follow Will and his Constable Rouge as they search the woods for a visitor who has gone missing. During the search they find evidence of 2 people meeting up, then of one leaving, Will retraced the steps and finds the missing visitor who has been bludgeoned over the head. Who has done this deed because, the visitor has never been to these parts and knows no one so who could he have made into an enemy to do this???. It is up to Will and his fellow sleuths to find out all the secrets hidden in the Shaker Community to bring justice and clear the name of an entire Community which has come under suspicion from this one terrible deed.