I enjoyed the first book in this series and this one did not disappoint. Ralph Waldo Emerson is visiting Amherst and is staying with Emily's brother Austin and his new wife. During a dinner party his secretary falls ill and dies. Emily and Willa set out to solve the crime and clear the Dickinson family name. I really enjoy the setting and the characters. The mystery was good with plenty of suspects and the solution made sense. I was able to solve the crime. I am looking for word to reading the next book in the series.

A fun and imaginative murder mystery with a vintage setting and literary twist. Featured on my books for February post.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

This historical cozy mystery is even better than the first in its series! One does not need to be a scholar of 19th century poetry or fictional writings to appreciate characters, as it has been several decades since I read anything by Emily Dickinson or their special guest, Ralph Waldo Emerson. I appreciate that the author includes a section that indicates which characters were real which scenes were drawn from true events. While Emily Dickinson was not a sleuth, there are other things about her that are accurate.

When newlyweds Austin, Emily’s brother, and Susan, her sister-in-law and best friend, returned from their honeymoon, their first guest, Ralph Waldo Emerson, would arrive within a week. He would speak at a week-long symposium at the nearby college and the local literary society. Austin and Susan’s home, Evergreens, was next door to “the homestead”, where Austin’s parents and sisters lived.

The servants from the homestead helped make final preparations at Austin’s. Willa, a housemaid and Emily’s maid, was sent to assist at Emily’s insistence. The two were friends since Willa’s first few days of working for the Dickinson’s, but nobody could know because people of Dickinson’s class didn’t pal around with their servants. The two had bonded when they sought the killer of Willa’s brother. The point of view we read is Willa’s.

Emily is different from most young ladies, from being a near recluse, to her manner of dress and thoughts on marriage. Those who suspect their friendship don’t like it, especially when Emily insists Willa accompany her to help her where her enormous, gentle bear of a dog, Carlo, is not allowed. Emily often requests Willa to go with her, especially if they are investigating.

A special dinner was planned for the second day of Mr. Emerson’s visit. Shortly before that dinner, Willa overheard him fire his secretary, Luther, for stealing his writings and trying to sell them as his own. He could finish the week, then be gone. When all were seated, Luther suddenly looked ill and left the table. Emily sent Willa to find him. He was not in his room, which someone had searched and scattered his belongings. From the window, Willa saw him staggering outdoors and ran to help him. Once outside, the yardmen saw Willa and called for help, as Luther just died in the flower garden.

Upper class Victorian people were very concerned with how they were perceived by others. Luther’s death, determined to be murder, might cause others to look down on the Dickinson family. The somewhat corrupt police department would quickly solve cases involving prominent people, even when it meant charging innocent, lower class people.

Emily was curious, and wanted to find who killed their guest. She frequently pulled Willa from house duties to help question others about who killed Luther. He was disliked by many, allowing for several possible suspects. They were shocked at the poor character of Emerson’s secretary.

I was impressed with the descriptions of the Dickinson family and appreciated learning about them. I liked Emily, Louisa Alcott, and Willa the best. Each was intelligent and strong in their own way. Emily and Louisa spoke their minds about life as they saw it, but Willa lived circumspectly. It would have been hard to be a servant in any era, in part due to the lack of close friends among those one spent their lives with. Other than Emily, Willa had one friend on the property, Jeremiah, who had been her brother’s best friend.

It was quite a challenge to select the bad guy from the array of people who Luther offended – or worse. Plot twists were used well, and there were a couple red herrings that seemed good suspects that didn’t feel quite right. I was very pleased with the outcome, yet sad with who the killer really was. I highly recommend this novel and series!

I really liked the first book and was excited to read this one but it lacked a bit of what the first one had. I think it's because Willa didn't have a huge stake in finding out who the killer was and didn't really seem into sleuthing.

When Emma's new sister-in-law wants to bring Ralph Waldo Emerson to stay with them he brings his assistant who ends up murdered. At first this put a bit of a stain on the Dickinson family so Emma wants to find out who done it and gets Willa to help her, but Willa is a maid and suppose to be doing those things which makes the head maid a bit aggravated and I don't blame her. Willa must be a super woman to be able to do her job, sleuth with Emma at all hours of the night because I would need some sleep.

I guessed who the killer was pretty early on in the book as it just seemed like the right person given who we find out the guy was and what he was doing.

I liked the sort of side crime with another person who could have been the killer and what happened to that person.

Just had a hard time wanting to keep reading and it took me a while to get through this one.

Amanda Flower's I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died is the second installment in the authors An Emily Dickinson Mystery series. This story is a retelling of Emily Dickinson's poem by the same name. The series features Willa Noble, maid to iconic American poet Emily Dickinson, who solves mysteries with her new employer. For Willa, it has been 1 year since her beloved brother was murdered, and she, along with Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), worked together to solve his murder. They also discovered the Underground railroad, and the Abolitionist movement.

It is now August 1856. The Dickinson family is comfortably settled in their homestead on Main Street. Emily’s brother, Austin Dickinson, and his new wife Susan Gilbert are delighted when famous thinker and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) comes to Amherst to speak at a local literary society and decides he and his young secretary, Luther Howard, will stay with the newlyweds. Emily has been a longtime admirer of Emerson’s writing and is thrilled at the chance to meet her idol.

She is determined to impress him with her quick wit, and if she can gather the courage, a poem. Willa Noble, the second maid in the Dickinson home and Emily's friend, encourages her to speak to the famous but stern man. But his secretary, Luther, intrigues Willa more because of his clear fondness for Emily's sister, Lavinia. Willa does not know if Luther truly cares for Lavinia or if he just sees marrying one of them as a way to raise himself up in society. Emily is also weary of Luther's request to read her poems.

After a few days in his company, Willa starts to believe it’s the latter. Lavinia appears to be enchanted by Luther; a fact that bothers Emily greatly. One afternoon, Willa overhears an argument between Emerson and Luther. Emerson accused Luther of stealing some of his works, telling him he was fired when their current visit ended. However, Emily’s fears are squashed when Luther turns up dead in the Dickinson’s garden. It seems that he was poisoned. Emerson, aghast at the death of his secretary, demands answers. Emily and Willa set out to find them in order to save the Dickinson family reputation and stop a cold-blooded fiend from killing again.

*Thoughts* The author uses plenty of historical figures in this story once again like Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) writer of Little Women. I honestly don't know much about Emily Dickinson's life, but understand she ended up spending a lot of time in her own mind, and has been thought of one of America's most talented writer of poems. Even though only 10 poems were released, it is said she may have written up to a thousand which were later edited for format and released. In this series, she's a bit headstrong and flighty, yet actually one of the only ones that treated everyone kindly. Especially Willa who she treats better than her sister most of the time.

It is curious to see how much longer Willa continues to play keep away from Officer Matthew who has made his intentions known to her. Willa also has issues with Lavinia in not understanding why she and Emily are constantly getting involved in things that the police are supposed to investigate and solve. Willa and the Dickinson's head maid have a curious relationship. Willa never shirks away from doing the job she is supposed to be paid to do, not even when she is constantly pulled away by Emily to do more investigating.

I really enjoy Amanda Flowers books. This series is different from her typical cozies, however that makes it good it a different way. I like the characters

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review

When Ralph Waldo Emerson comes to stay at Emily's brother he brings his secretary Luther Howard along with him. Lavinia, Emily's sister, takes a liking to the young secretary. Emily worries the man might not share the same feelings as her sister and may just be looking for a step up in society. When Luther is found dead in the Dickinson's garden the mystery begins. Emerson wants to know what happened to his secretary and punish the offending party. Emily along with her maid Willa decide they must find a killer before the Dickinson name is ruined. Will they be able to figure out who the killer is before someone else ends up dead? I wonderful read filled with some great literary greats.

It's 1856 Amherst, Massachusetts. Emily Dickinson's maid, Willa, finds the body of a visitor in the Dickinson family's gardens. Worse, it appears to have been murder. The victim is the secretary of the famed Ralph Waldo Emerson. Due to the nature of the secretary's character, there is no shortage of suspects.

Emily immediately becomes involved in investigating the murder. Among other reasons, she wants to clear the family name since the victim and Mr Emerson are staying with the Dickinsons. This in turn involves Willa.

While both Emily and WIlla investigate, the story is told from Willa's point of view. It becomes clear that the duo of Willa and Emily make a good pair. One of them can ask questions of the townspeople while the other can ask questions of the servants and can eavesdrop on people since often people pay no attention to the presence of a servant. Also Willa has a tie to one of the police officers which can be both helpful and a hindrance.

The mystery itself is well done. Mr. Luther, the victim, is not a likeable character. There are many suspects. There are red herrings. And the method of the murder was interesting. I had not considered that someone would use that manner, especially in a literary crowd.

The resolution of the murder, when it came, came rather quickly. The person of interest was unexpected as was what followed upon the revelation. I liked that so much was unexpected, although I might have preferred a tad more foreshadowing as to who the killer was.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I liked reading about a young Emily and her adventures with Willa. This was the second book in the Emily Dickinson mystery series. It can be read as a standalone. There are references to book one, but they are all explained with a sentence or two. I'm looking forward to book three. I'd recommend this book for fans of historical mysteries with literary characters. Also, you would probably enjoy it if you are an Emily Dickinson fan.

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower was published November 14, 2023 by Berkley.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion

I really enjoyed this mystery by Amanda Flowers. I love how she blends fiction with an actual person. I felt like the story was engaging and I wanted to know what happened next. I love how the story was suspenseful and kept us guessing right along with the characters. I think this is a great mystery series and I can’t wait to read more with these characters.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

4.5 stars

This is the second in the series, but it can be read as a standalone novel.

This is such an enjoyable, fun historical mystery. Willa and Emily's relationship is unusual for the time but enjoyable to watch. They are opposites in many ways, yet they're the perfect complement for each other. In this installment, readers get to see Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa Mae Alcott, in addition to Emily Dickinson. Willa and Emily will work together to figure out who murdered Emerson's assistant. It's clear that Flower has done her research when it comes to accurate detailing to create an engaging mystery where the reader can enjoy sleuthing along with the characters. I look forward to (hopefully) more books in this (one of my favorite!) series.

“I had found Emily always had a purpose for everything she did, even if she was the only one who understood it.”

As I said in my review for Because I Could Not Stop for Death, I’m a big fan of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, and I love that Amanda Flower is using her poems as titles for this series. I had never really thought of how well several of Dickinson’s poems fit with a mystery mood until considering these first two books in Flower’s series.

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air –
Between the Heaves of Storm –

In this newest mystery, we are once again taken through the story through the first person POV of Emily’s maid Willa, the poet’s oft-reluctant sidekick in amateur sleuthing. In the first book, I saw their relationship as a unique friendship and partnership that crossed the social classes, and in many ways I think that’s exactly how Emily’s character sees it too. But in this book, I was a bit more sensitive to the relationship dynamic from Willa’s perspective and noticed some things I didn’t pick up on in book one. Seeing it through her eyes made me realize how selfish Emily can be in the friendship. Her casual indifference to how much extra work she caused for Willa at one point in the book really made me sympathetic for Willa, for example. Yet in spite of the fact that Willa is clearly the better friend, I can’t help but enjoy the indomitable team they make when it comes to solving murders. Their different roles allow them each to be perfect for investigating in different circles, giving readers (and the case) the best of both worlds. And, mild annoyance notwithstanding, I do like the way the author has characterized Emily in this series. I did get a little tickled though at how Louisa Alcott’s blunt personality irked Emily, because most of the difficult aspects mirrored Emily’s own (though they definitely differ on why they write).

The mystery is complex and layered and brings in key literary figures of the day like Ralph Waldo Emerson and the aforementioned Alcott. It was fun to theoretically rub elbows with them and see how the author represents them on the page. There were a couple of things I thought would go a certain way but didn’t, and I loved the surprising twists that were nowhere on my radar but delighted me all the same. Through dialogue and description, Flower does a great job of creating a certain mood that permeates the whole story, and I just wanted to sit by a roaring fire and curl up with a mug full of hot chocolate while reading it.

Bottom Line: Move over Sherlock and Watson, Emily and Willa are on the case! The juxtaposition of social classes and gender roles, the mix of ‘real’ people and fictional, the witty dialogue, and the clever murder mystery are just a few reasons to enjoy this historical mystery. In I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died, we continue to get insight into Emily’s evolution as a writer, her personality, and her family, but we also come to appreciate Willa even more as well. (For the record I am still rooting for Matthew to break through Willa’s defenses and win her heart.) I’m already eager to read the next book & find myself wondering which of Dickinson’s poems will be the inspiration for its title. An entertaining mystery that also serves as an ode to American classic literature!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

An entertaining historical cozy featuring a mixture of real people (Emily Dickinson! Emerson! Alcott!) and imagined characters, one of whom, Willa, narrates. This would be delightful even without the ones you might find yourself googling because Flower does a great job in setting the scene of 1856 Massachusetts and with the mystery itself. Luther Howard, secretary to Emerson, is poisoned and, as it turns out there's more than one person who really really disliked him. Willa and Emily are concerned as well because he'd been buzzing around the Dickinson family, making them suspects. Of course they investigate and well, no spoilers from me. I missed the first book, making this a standalone for me and it was just fine that way. . I know some might object to using literary icons in this fashion but those who give it a try will enjoy it.

Housemaid Willa Noble has never been afraid of hard work but the return of Austin Dickinson and his new bride Susan to the Evergreens, the estate directly across from where she works for his parents and sisters, adds unexpected burdens to her schedule. This is admittedly less Austin’s fault than his sister Emily’s. The latter expects Willa not only to accompany her on visits to the neighboring estate, but to assist in readying it for and hosting no less a literary luminary than Ralph Waldo Emerson himself. Emerson has been engaged to lecture at nearby Amherst College, and Susan is eager to show off her skills as a hostess. Never mind that she and her husband have barely settled into their new home. Emily is determined to help her best friend Susan's dream come true, no matter the strain on her own household.

While Willa doesn't mind the extra work too much, she does find herself made ill at ease by the inappropriate behavior of Emerson's assistant, Luther Howard. To begin with, he's entirely too familiar with the youngest Dickinson sister, Lavinia. Worse, he's asked Willa to privately pass along some of Emily’s work to him so that he can give it to Emerson to evaluate. Even if Emily weren't notoriously private about her poetry, Willa would never do something like that without discussing it with Emily first. The two women have become friends and unsurprisingly see eye to eye on many things, including Howard’s lack of trustworthiness. After the latter is suddenly assaulted by a traveling peddler one day, the typically blunt Emily takes him to task for the excuses he offers for the incident:

QUOTE
“Peddlers and travelers like him have to be a little bit off to do the work that they do,” Mr. Howard said in a dismissive way. “[H]e was deranged. It’s the only explanation that can make any sense.” He forced a laugh. “But then again, how do you make sense of a senseless act?”

“That is quite a harsh statement to make about a man that you don’t know,” Emily interjected. “I don’t believe that it is right or fair to make that kind of judgment on the state of any person’s mind, and that is all the more true about someone you do not know personally.”
END QUOTE

When Howard is murdered shortly after this, Willa and Emily are drawn into the investigation. Lead detective James Durben is not someone either woman holds in high favor, especially given his reputation for violently extracting confessions from his suspects. Both women find it entirely too convenient that Detective Durben is happy to lay the murder at the feet of the mysterious foreign peddler. But the more they learn about the case, the more sordid business they uncover about some of the most important people in Amherst, and the greater the subsequent risk to their own lives and livelihoods. Will Willa and Emily be able to find justice for the falsely accused before either of them comes to irreparable harm?

This sophomore novel in the Emily Dickinson mystery series is as progressive and fair-minded as the first, with the fight for the abolition of slavery again proving an important touchstone for the book. Amanda Flower also explores how American society of that era continually and offhandedly repressed anyone who wasn't a “Yankee” male, as foreigners were scapegoated and women writers were told to assume male identities in order to be taken seriously. Many of her incisive anecdotes resonate in modern times, as here where Willa witnesses a conversation between several of Emily’s female writer friends:

QUOTE
“I do enjoy writing. I might even say I love it sometimes, but there is a great difference between writing to live and living to write. I write to live. It’s my livelihood, and I do it under many names and hats to make money. I do not apologize for that.”

Mrs. Thayer placed a hand on her cheek. “But it is art. Shouldn’t it be pure?”

“Art for purity’s sake is the advantage of the rich. The difference is not having money and knowing you have to make your talents work for you. I can’t depend on my father or family to provide for me. They depend on me.”
END QUOTE

Smart and salient, I Heard A Fly Buzz As I Died reimagines established history to convincingly present poet Emily Dickinson as a stubborn sleuth dedicated to justice, with Willa as her invaluable partner in detection. I greatly enjoyed the way that both Emily and Willa are portrayed as they fight for what's right, even as they grow to understand one another better over the course of these absorbing books. Fans of 18th-century American literature will also thrill to the exciting literary cameos, as I certainly did.

"My dear Willa, at times, I think solving a murder is easier than comprehending a poem."

Yes, I would agree to that. 🕵️‍♀️

Amanda Flower is a genius! I love that she brings literary novelists together in her cozy historical fiction. This is book 2 with Emily Dickinson and her maid Willa Nobel.

It's 1856 Amherst, MA, and Emily's brother Austin and his new wife Susan return from their honeymoon. The new couple is expecting an honored guest Ralph Waldo Emerson and his secretary to stay at their homestead while in town for a literature symposium at a local college. They would need an extra hand and Willa would be working at both homes during their visit.

Luther Howard is Emerson's young secretary and aspiring writer who's found dead in Dickinson's garden. A social climber, Howard only had eyes on wealthy ladies. He's also known for stealing other people's work and publishing them as his own.

Hmm, plenty of suspects...🤔

Emily and Willa are back at solving murder once again. I love these two characters! But the old guys hanging around at the post office are nice too. I love the time period and atmosphere in general. I like how Emily would bring her maid to a literary lecture when others find it absurd. But Emily knows Willa loves to read. They are blunt and push boundaries. Also in town with her father for the lecture is Louisa Alcott. What a party!

Stellar writing and wonderful characters. A fine cozy mystery!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the DRC.

Last Spring, Amanda Flower won the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel for Because I Could Not Stop for Death, the first book in her new Emily Dickinson Mystery series. This was an auspicious start to what is growing into a beloved historical series. The second book featuring Emily Dickinson and her maid, Willa Noble, as amateur sleuths is now available and proves just how worthy those accolades were. I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died, begins not long after the action in the series debut and expands on it in welcome ways.

Ever defiant Emily Dickinson is excited to learn that her brother and his new bride will be hosting one of her writing idols at their Evergreens homestead. Ralph Waldo Emerson will be giving a series of lectures to the professors and students around Amherst and Emily is determined to be in the audience. Wanting to take her maid—Willa—along with her is certainly unusual behavior, but Emily knows that her friend—after all, Willa is so much more than just a mere domestic servant—is equally interested in all things literary and she sees no problem with learning above one’s station.

The lectures are the social event of the year, and everyone is in awe of this man’s enlightened nature. As townsfolk scramble to get closer to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s inner circle of notoriety, the Dickinson’s have easy access but are also respectful of his time. Mr. Emerson has brought along his personal secretary, Luther Howard, who seems to have taken a shine to Emily’s younger sister Lavinia. But when a dinner party on the Dickinson estate ends in death, both Emily and Willa once again have to dive head first into a murder investigation.

Amanda Flower knows just the right details to include to bring nineteenth-century Massachusetts to life. She clearly knows the Dickinson’s biographies as well, since each of the family members become fully-fleshed-out characters with much of the alluded to action being either historically-accurate or at the very least historically possible. Of course, Willa Noble and others are invented characters—clearly needed to craft a mystery series where no actual murders occurred. Readers will be forgiven for sometimes forgetting that Emily and the gang never really solved crimes. That is testament to how convincing Amanda Flower conjures this imagined narrative.

Those that do know more about Emily Dickinson’s real-world acquaintances will be delighted with the arrival of another literary heroine of the time-period. No spoilers here, but this depiction also oozes authenticity and follows the known biographical information available. It is this loyalty to historical detail that makes Amanda Flower’s Emily Dickinson Mystery series shine.

As she did with Because I Could Not Stop For Death, Amanda Flower packs I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died with historical details that have the unique ability to resonate in today’s world. From racial inequality to immigrant rights, this narrative seems as timely as ever for today’s readers. Part of the plot deals with plagiarism and other literary crimes which are sure to appeal to this novel’s audience.

Emily Dickinson wrote hundreds of poems, so Amanda Flower’s Emily Dickinson Mystery series could continue for many years. That is delightful news for fans of these books and with the continued critical acclaim, the reader-base is sure to increase with each new entry. Like Emily Dickinson’s “certain slant of light,” these novels hypnotize readers and send them off on deeper ruminations.

1856. Amherst. Austin Dickinson and his wife Susan have returned from their honeymoon. With within a week they will host the writer Ralph Waldo Emerson and his secretary Luther Howard. But soon Howard will be dead. The motive unknown. The police investigate but Emily Dickinson prefers to find the guilty party herself with the help of the maid Willa Noble.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its interesting characters. A good addition to this series which can be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book 2 in the Emily Dickinson mystery proves to be just as good as book 1. This is an old school mystery story and if that’s your jam check this out! Set in 1856 this book transports you to a different time in a real whodunit. Plus this title is real catchy!

Huge thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died is the second book in An Emily Dickinson Mystery series by Amanda Flower.

Emily Dickinson and Dickinson’s maid, Willa, are back and solving a mystery again.

Emily’s brother, Austin, and his new bride, Susan, have returned from their honeymoon and have set up residency in Evergreen, the home Mr. Dickinson had built for them. They will host Ralph Waldo Emerson, who is in town to deliver a literary symposium at the local college. Also traveling with Emerson is secretary, Luther. One afternoon, Willa overhears an argument between Emerson and Luther. Emerson accused Luther of stealing some of his works, telling him he was fired when their current visit ended. That evening, everyone is gathered for the evening meal when suddenly Luther excuses himself, saying he’s not feeling well and needs some fresh air. Shortly after that, a gardener asks to speak with Willa and informs her that Luther is lying dead in the garden. No one can believe this, as Luther had made it known when he first arrived how allergic he was to pollen. The police will discover that Luther was poisoned. Emily asks Willa to help her find the killer, as the murder could damage the Dickinson family’s reputation. Emily and Willa had worked together a year before to find the killer of Willa’s brother. Emily remembers that maids seem invisible to their employers, so Willa should be able to overhear conversations and gather backstairs gossip from other maids and workers.
They soon learn that Luther was a “lady's man” and have several suspects to pursue. Some suspects could include family, close friends, and an immigrant peddler.

This series is an astounding addition to my favorite historical cozy mysteries. I love how well Emily and Willa work together. I feel sorry for the family cook as Emily is constantly removing her from her kitchen duties. I found the book to be well-written, charming, and historically accurate. The characters are interesting, believable, and well-developed.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this engaging series. Mainly to see if any romantic interest will develop between Willa and Matthew, a local policeman.

I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower is a fun example of historical mystery. The main character, Willa, is a maid in the home of Emily Dickinson’s parents and Emily’s particular friend. Everyone is excited that the great writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, is coming to Amherst for a weeklong series of lectures, and will be staying just next door with Emily’s brother, Austin, and his new wife, Susan. Now, there is no evidence that Emerson and Dickinson ever met, but it makes a great story, until Emerson’s assistant is killed and by a most unusual means. Of course, as is appropriate for the time, an immigrant is accused, an itinerant peddler, but Emily is convinced of his innocence. She and Willa undertake to investigate, despite the disapproval of Mr. Dickinson and Willa’s friend, Matthew, who is a police officer.

The appealing thing about historical fiction is that the reader can learn about the personalities, surroundings, and society at the time in a relaxed fashion. Emily Dickinson did not investigate crimes but the personalities of herself and her family are portrayed as accurately as possible with knowledge gained through research, as is the persona of Ralph Waldo Emerson. The method of murder (and clever) is accurate for the time as are the methods of policing. There is much to be learned in historical fiction and Amanda Flower has done the research and come up with an enticing fictional life surrounding a fairly accurate ones of the people who were real. It is a gift and Flower has it. Another excellent book!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died by Berkley Publishing Group, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BerkelyPublishingGroup #AmandaFlower #IheardAFlyBuzzWhenIDied

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a great historical fiction mystery featuring Emily Dickinson and her maid Willa in 1856 Amhurst. This is book two in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone. I haven't read the first book, but didn't feel like I was missing much because of it.

Emily's brother and best friend have returned from their honeymoon and announce that Ralph Waldo Emerson will visit Amhurst for a literary symposium and will be staying with them. Emily is excited because she respects his writing and hopes to gather the courage to show him some of her writing. Emerson's personal secretary, Luthor, however proves to be a distraction to Emily's family, including her youngest sister Lavinia. When Luthor is murdered during a dinner party, the Dickinson families troubles increase even more.

Feeling that the police are pinning the killing on an innocent man, Emily and Willa are determined to discover the real murderer. I am not sure how accurate the author's portrayal of Emily is, but I enjoyed her forthright manner. She spoke her thoughts without a care for others and did what she thought was right. It did get annoying that she constantly said the equivalent of "do you know who I am" and threw her family's name around all the time, giving the impression that the rules didn't apply to her and that she and her family could basically do whatever they wanted. Perhaps that's the way things were back in the day, it wouldn't surprise me. Willa was clever and knew how to be in the right place at the right time to discover information relevant to the case. I liked her relationship with her police officer beau and hope that their relationship moves forward in future books.

I figured out the killer early in the book, but I enjoyed seeing how the author got there. It was also cool how the author included several other prominent writers throughout the story and I found myself looking each up and finding out more about their life. They definitely could have crossed paths with Emily during her life.

If you like historical fiction mysteries utilizing famous characters, this book is for you. I look forward to reading more books in the series.

I was given a complimentary e-copy of this book by Berkley/Penguin Random House. All opinions are my own.