This is the second Louisa May Alcott mystery where we read about Louisa’s life as a young woman before she became a famous author. Louisa and her family are vacationing with cousins in New Hampshire. Their rural village suffers a tragedy when a young laborer is found dead, pushed down a ravine. His sister believes one of the shopkeepers killed him so as to buy their piece of land by the railroad track, but Louisa isn’t so easily convinced. Their neighbors harbor secrets, and all isn’t what it seems in this sleepy little town. The questions build as she investigates, especially when the local sheriff suspects her close friend of being the murderer. To prove his innocence, Louisa probes into people’s lives, not realizing she’s putting her own safety at stake. Another delightful installment in a charming series. ( )

This is the second novel featuring Louisa May Alcott as amateur detective, after Louisa and the Missing Heiress. The story features an interesting and rather large set of characters, including the Alcott family and actress Fanny Kemble. The author's admiration for the Alcotts and their circle is obvious. The author devotes too much attention to the Alcott family and friends and their activities, while paying too little attention to the suspects and motives for the crimes. Although all of the plot threads are eventually resolved at the end of the novel, many of the explanations seem like afterthoughts. ( )