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Will Rees Mysteries #7
Simply Dead
1790s, Maine. In the depths of winter Hortense, a midwife, disappears after attending a birth in the woodlands. During the search Will Rees finds her struggling through the snow and woods without shoes or a coat.
After two young men begin stalking the community in search of her – including targeting Rees’s own family – she is questioned further and claims she was kidnapped . . . but Rees and his wife Lydia are suspicious. It is agreed Hortense’s presence is endangering everyone’s safety and she needs to leave. As the arrangements are made she is hidden in Zion, the local Shaker community, only while there a Shaker Sister is murdered. Witnesses describe a man fitting Josiah Wooten’s description, a ferocious man living in the woods with two young sons.
After two young men begin stalking the community in search of her – including targeting Rees’s own family – she is questioned further and claims she was kidnapped . . . but Rees and his wife Lydia are suspicious. It is agreed Hortense’s presence is endangering everyone’s safety and she needs to leave. As the arrangements are made she is hidden in Zion, the local Shaker community, only while there a Shaker Sister is murdered. Witnesses describe a man fitting Josiah Wooten’s description, a ferocious man living in the woods with two young sons.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2019
10 people are currently reading
2584 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Kuhns
21 books1,260 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 35 reviews
November 17, 2019
I enjoyed this book i never even guess who the killer was lol
August 29, 2020
Definitely a fan of the Will Rees series
Perfect cover for wintry enjoyment of this 7th read ...
Perfect cover for wintry enjoyment of this 7th read ...
July 2, 2023
In this installment of the Will Rees series, Will and Lydia are involved in solving several mysteries. Once again the whole family gets into the action and one of the girls is kidnapped. It is a great plot with a surprise ending. Will's short temper is worse than ever and, frankly, it is getting on my nerves. But. the book still deserves five stars, and I recommend it.
December 14, 2019
4* Will Reeves #7
September 3, 2019
Will Rees, his wife, and family live in the house that his wife inherited and that the Shaker community covets. He married into the Shaker community, even though the Shakers don't seem to accept him that much. He had previously investigated a murder in the community and it seems that he will be doing it again as the daughter, Hortense, of a midwife, goes missing.
There are two men who are looking for her. Will finds her in the snow without shoes or a coat. He and his wife Lydia are suspicious of the circumstances. They hide her away in Zion, the local Shaker community. There is an eye witness and it appears that the description of the witnesses matches that of Josiah Wooten, a nasty man who lives with his wife and two sons.
Will investigates the family and is surprised by what he finds. He has gone to the Wooten home in a blizzard, puts his life at risk yet again. He is determined to not only find out why Hortense went missing but also investigate the murder of the Shaker sister and what the correlation is between the two incidences. He is concerned about the welfare of his family and that they could be in danger.
The author writes in such a way that you can almost feel like you are in the snowy woods of 1790's Maine. A community that is set far apart from the rest of the country. There is a cast of characters that are believable. The story is suspenseful and you also get a feel for what it is like to live in a Shaker community. There are also some twists to the story that was not expected. I love a story that does that, I don't want to figure out who did what in a mystery, I like being surprised.
This is only the second Shaker Murders book that I have read but I found that I really did not miss not having read the previous ones in the series. I want to start the series from the beginning! I enjoyed the book!
There are two men who are looking for her. Will finds her in the snow without shoes or a coat. He and his wife Lydia are suspicious of the circumstances. They hide her away in Zion, the local Shaker community. There is an eye witness and it appears that the description of the witnesses matches that of Josiah Wooten, a nasty man who lives with his wife and two sons.
Will investigates the family and is surprised by what he finds. He has gone to the Wooten home in a blizzard, puts his life at risk yet again. He is determined to not only find out why Hortense went missing but also investigate the murder of the Shaker sister and what the correlation is between the two incidences. He is concerned about the welfare of his family and that they could be in danger.
The author writes in such a way that you can almost feel like you are in the snowy woods of 1790's Maine. A community that is set far apart from the rest of the country. There is a cast of characters that are believable. The story is suspenseful and you also get a feel for what it is like to live in a Shaker community. There are also some twists to the story that was not expected. I love a story that does that, I don't want to figure out who did what in a mystery, I like being surprised.
This is only the second Shaker Murders book that I have read but I found that I really did not miss not having read the previous ones in the series. I want to start the series from the beginning! I enjoyed the book!
December 23, 2024
Simply Dead is the seventh book in the Will Rees Mystery series written by Eleanor Kuhns. It doesn't matter if you have read every book in the series, a few, one or none, as soon as you start reading Simply Dead you will feel like you are in the middle of winter in the 1790's.
In Simply Dead Will Rees and his family are trying to get through the cold weather but it isn't going to be easy for them. Early one morning the Constable and his sister Bernadette, show up at Rees house looking for his help. Bernadette's daughter, Hortense, is missing. Bernadette and Hortense are midwives and Hortense was assisting a family deliver their baby but that was a few weeks ago and Hortense hasn't returned home. They are worried with it being winter and it is not like her to not return home.
When they find her buggy abandoned a search party is organized. Rees finds her stumbling in the woods without shoes or her cloak. When she is questioned as to what happened, Rees can tell that she is not being completely honest but Lydia, his wife, silences him so that Hortense can rest.
They soon figure Hortense is not safe as two strange men show up and try to abduct Rees one daughter and then they learn that a woman in the Shaker community nearby has been murdered and she was wearing Hortense's cloak.
Rees wants to find out what happened so that his family will be safe but there are a lot of obstacles that he will have to get over ... unfortunately getting the truth out of people and their help will be trying.
Readers cannot help but love this series and reading about the simplicity of the times back then will be enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. I highly recommend digging into this series and allowing Kuhns to navigate for you.
In Simply Dead Will Rees and his family are trying to get through the cold weather but it isn't going to be easy for them. Early one morning the Constable and his sister Bernadette, show up at Rees house looking for his help. Bernadette's daughter, Hortense, is missing. Bernadette and Hortense are midwives and Hortense was assisting a family deliver their baby but that was a few weeks ago and Hortense hasn't returned home. They are worried with it being winter and it is not like her to not return home.
When they find her buggy abandoned a search party is organized. Rees finds her stumbling in the woods without shoes or her cloak. When she is questioned as to what happened, Rees can tell that she is not being completely honest but Lydia, his wife, silences him so that Hortense can rest.
They soon figure Hortense is not safe as two strange men show up and try to abduct Rees one daughter and then they learn that a woman in the Shaker community nearby has been murdered and she was wearing Hortense's cloak.
Rees wants to find out what happened so that his family will be safe but there are a lot of obstacles that he will have to get over ... unfortunately getting the truth out of people and their help will be trying.
Readers cannot help but love this series and reading about the simplicity of the times back then will be enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. I highly recommend digging into this series and allowing Kuhns to navigate for you.
August 4, 2019
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Hortense a young midwife fails to return home after delivering a baby. Her mother and uncle seek out help from Will Rees. Will finds Hortense with no shoes and no cloak. As the snow comes down heavier it is decided to leave the unconscious Hortense overnight at Will and Lydia’s house. Will and his family attend to chores around the farm. Will hears his daughter Jerusha yelling for him. She has been frightened but he doesn’t know what scared her. The next morning Jerusha is attacked by two young boys. Will is sure Hortense knows something she isn’t telling them. When a Shaker woman is killed Will is determined to do everything he can to find the person responsible for the attacks on women in the area.
Once again this book was so well written I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was. I have only read one other book in this series. I have definitely got to catch up on them. This author brings you in to the time period and into the setting. The characters are well crafted. Will Rees has become one of my favorite characters. He is a weaver by trade and yet he has become a wonderful detective. This is a book I would read more than once.
Hortense a young midwife fails to return home after delivering a baby. Her mother and uncle seek out help from Will Rees. Will finds Hortense with no shoes and no cloak. As the snow comes down heavier it is decided to leave the unconscious Hortense overnight at Will and Lydia’s house. Will and his family attend to chores around the farm. Will hears his daughter Jerusha yelling for him. She has been frightened but he doesn’t know what scared her. The next morning Jerusha is attacked by two young boys. Will is sure Hortense knows something she isn’t telling them. When a Shaker woman is killed Will is determined to do everything he can to find the person responsible for the attacks on women in the area.
Once again this book was so well written I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was. I have only read one other book in this series. I have definitely got to catch up on them. This author brings you in to the time period and into the setting. The characters are well crafted. Will Rees has become one of my favorite characters. He is a weaver by trade and yet he has become a wonderful detective. This is a book I would read more than once.
March 21, 2022
When Hortense, a midwife, fails to return home following a birth, several townsfolk go out looking for her. Will Rees finds her stumbling through the snow barefoot and petrified. He brings her back to his house to recover. After one of his daughters becomes a victim of an attempted abduction, the decision is made to move Hortense to the local Shaker community. However, when a Shaker woman is murdered, Hortense is returned home.
As Rees starts to investigate, he strongly believes that Hortense is not telling him the entire truth. Witness descriptions have led Will and Constable Rouge to Josiah Wootten and his sons. Josiah is known to be abusive and when Will and the Constable arrive to question Josiah, his wife Sally threatens them off the property. As they continue to investigate, several other incidents happen including another murder, an abduction and a home burning to the ground before the killer is finally identified.
This is an interesting series that take place in the 1800s in Shaker communities. You learn a lot about the way of life back then both in the Shaker community and in the World (as they refer to the outside world). It isn't necessary to read the series in order as some of the backstories are touched upon but you don't get the full story.
As Rees starts to investigate, he strongly believes that Hortense is not telling him the entire truth. Witness descriptions have led Will and Constable Rouge to Josiah Wootten and his sons. Josiah is known to be abusive and when Will and the Constable arrive to question Josiah, his wife Sally threatens them off the property. As they continue to investigate, several other incidents happen including another murder, an abduction and a home burning to the ground before the killer is finally identified.
This is an interesting series that take place in the 1800s in Shaker communities. You learn a lot about the way of life back then both in the Shaker community and in the World (as they refer to the outside world). It isn't necessary to read the series in order as some of the backstories are touched upon but you don't get the full story.
April 14, 2019
This book is set in the early days of America, the story revolving around young women going missing in the depths of winter. The first girl, Hortense, is the daughter of the local midwife who fails to return after going out to attend a birth. The book evokes the life of that time, where distances between homes can be far, wolves roam and will attack lone travellers, and medical assistance is rudimentary.
Will Rees joins the party to find her, and discovers her in the woods without shoes or cloak. The local Shaker community are drawn into events, as more young women are either killed or attempts are made to abduct them. The story revolves around the fate of women at this time and some mistaken identities. Will makes an endearing hero, although he and Lydia clearly have some back stories that are only partly explained.
The tale is told well, and the scene in Maine in the eighteenth century is well described. Overall an entertaining and gripping read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Will Rees joins the party to find her, and discovers her in the woods without shoes or cloak. The local Shaker community are drawn into events, as more young women are either killed or attempts are made to abduct them. The story revolves around the fate of women at this time and some mistaken identities. Will makes an endearing hero, although he and Lydia clearly have some back stories that are only partly explained.
The tale is told well, and the scene in Maine in the eighteenth century is well described. Overall an entertaining and gripping read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2019
1790s, Maine. In the depths of winter Hortense, a midwife, disappears after attending a birth in the woodlands. During the search Will Rees finds her struggling through the snow and woods without shoes or a coat. After two young men begin stalking the community in search of her - including targeting Rees's own family - she is questioned further and claims she was kidnapped . . . but Rees and his wife Lydia are suspicious. It is agreed Hortense's presence is endangering everyone's safety and she needs to leave. As the arrangements are made she is hidden in Zion, the local Shaker community, only while there a Shaker Sister is murdered. Witnesses describe a man fitting Josiah Wooten's description, a ferocious man living in the woods with two young sons. What is the truth behind Hortense's disappearance, and who is responsible for the death of the Shaker Sister?
Very good book. I love this series,
Very good book. I love this series,
December 10, 2019
Another excellent book in this series. A little more than a year has passed, and Will Rees and family are still living on the farm Lydia inherited from her first husband. Except that Simon decided to stay will Will's grown son, David, back in Dugard. Without Simon, Jerusha is having a hard time at school. When the local midwife's daughter, Hortense, also a midwife, does not return from a birthday after two weeks, Rees helps the constable (who is also her uncle) search for her. The girl is found, but there are holes in her story. Fearful of her safety, they hide her at Zion, the nearby Shaker community. But, when this puts the community in danger, a new plan must be made. The weather itself becomes an enemy as winter approaches ever closer. Will they be able to solve the mystery before it is too late? Very evocative, taking the reader into a long vanished world. Hard to put down. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2019
Will Rees married into the Shaker community. He could never have imagined what he would find as he and his wife Lydia built their lives together in 18th century Maine. They've already lived through a lot and Will has developed into an ace detective of the most unusual sort. This time out (don't worry if you didn't read the earlier ones), he's the one who finds Hortense, a midwife, who has gone missing in the woods. She hasn't got any cold weather gear and there are men out there hunting for her for nefarious reasons. They hide her in Zion, a Shaker community, where she should be safe, but it turns out that other women are targets as well. The violence against women seems surprising but should not be, I suppose. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Will's a good character, Lydia's terrific, the mystery twisty, and the setting terrific.
August 17, 2019
I received this book in advance for free in exch for a review. The story hooked me right from the beginning. This was a new author for me. I really liked the book. When Hortense(spelling?) a young girl midwife dissapears the story takes off. When the girl is found the reasons just dont add up. It seems that the girl isn't safe either. Every twist and turn in the story kept me hooked. I read this book almost a night. I grabbed it and finished it right away to see how it ends. The story kept me guessing until the end.
September 9, 2019
I won a copy of Simply Dead by Eleanor Kuhns from Goodreads.
Eleanor Kuhns immerses readers into the bitter cold and heavy snow of 18th-century Maine in her novel Simply Dead. A continuation of the Will Rees Mystery series, this book finds Rees dealing with a kidnapping and then a murder. This story has everything mystery readers desire: a likeable protagonist, unique supporting characters, a fascinating setting, and a well-crafted whodunit plot. Readers will want to read every book in this well-written series.
Eleanor Kuhns immerses readers into the bitter cold and heavy snow of 18th-century Maine in her novel Simply Dead. A continuation of the Will Rees Mystery series, this book finds Rees dealing with a kidnapping and then a murder. This story has everything mystery readers desire: a likeable protagonist, unique supporting characters, a fascinating setting, and a well-crafted whodunit plot. Readers will want to read every book in this well-written series.
January 17, 2021
It has been too long since I read the 6th book in this series, I've missed reading about Will Rees and his family, and the Shakers and life in early New England. The story begins with the disappearance of a young midwife apprentice, and before it is over two Shaker woman are murdered, Will's daughter is abducted, a home is burned down, killing a woman who is housebound. While the circumstantial evidence seems to point to one particular suspect the identity of the real murderer isn't whom anyone suspected.
July 8, 2024
There was so much running around in snow with a horse and cart during the shortest days of the year. I was exhausted for these people. Going up the mountain, down the mountain, to the Quaker village, back home, back to town back to school. And all of it in a short period of time. The mystery was good but could have been written with out to much extra crap in between.
February 15, 2020
I won this book as part of a good reads giveaway. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
March 25, 2020
I enjoyed the book so much. It was scary at times. But a great book and look forward to reading more from Eleanor Kuhns. She does a great job with a story.
Thank you Eleanor for a wonderful book.
Thank you Eleanor for a wonderful book.
May 15, 2020
I thought that this book was a nice read. It was easy to read and fairly quick. I was intrigued and the book caught my attention. It was captivating and fairly exciting to read. I would recommend this book.
May 22, 2020
It was a nice easy read! I am from Maine so it is always nice to read a book that takes place in your home state. I did not guess the killer until it was revealed I am usually good at figuring out the murderer. This author did a great job
August 23, 2020
This was definitely better than the previous book in the series but I do wonder how many times the author can associate a murder with a Shaker community and not begin to look like nothing more than an antagonism toward the sect.
October 14, 2019
Really, 4.5 stars. I think the author is getting better at immersing the reader in the period. I find these a great read.
November 21, 2019
Likeable characters, good plot surprise in the end if you hadn't figured it out. I will probably read another Will Rees or two.
February 9, 2020
I enjoy this series set in the early 1800’s in Maine. The author’s descriptions of the cold winter make me need a blanket.
May 6, 2020
I read this one out of sequence. Kuhns's series continues to engage me.
August 17, 2020
Love Will Rees and his family......great mysteries always!
October 25, 2020
I've loved these books!
January 22, 2022
Book 7 of a series. Best read in order but there is enough explanation that this could be read as a stand alone.
June 25, 2025
After the last two rather disappointing books, this one was very interesting with many twists and turns. It gives the reader a respect for modern forensics and technology.
December 13, 2025
I was shocked by the ending! Excellent book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews