In 1965, Franklin Warren assumes the role of Detective with the Vermont State Police. He moved from Boston to the small town of Bethany. His first night in Bethany ends with a fatal barn fire that kills a local farmer, Hugh Weber. Detective Warren has no time to relax and get to know his new neighbors or town before having to jump into the Weber case. The town and other members of the police department believe that Weber’s death was suicide, but Warren has some suspicions. Detective Warren gets to know his neighbors and other town folk as he investigates Weber’s “suicide.” During his investigation, other incidents start to occur, and secrets start to unfold.
This story has a great setting, and I enjoyed the timeframe, however, the overall story was drawn out. I struggled to get into this book and had to force myself to finish it because I hate DNF'ing books. I found myself skimming sections multiple times because I felt it went into tangents that had no relevance to the story. The characters were well written, and the descriptive writing allowed me to immerse myself in the life and surroundings of Det. Warren. This was my first Sarah Stewart Taylor book, and I wasn’t aware that it was the start of a series. Unfortunately, this story missed the thrill factor for me, so I don’t foresee reading future books in this series. For those that like historical mystery fictions without suspense or thrill, this is a great option.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the opportunity to provide my honest feedback on this ARC.

This is a clever and sophisticated mystery recommended for fans of literary fiction. There are also some similarities to Jane Harper and Tana French. If you're looking for a super fast-paced "popcorn thriller," look elsewhere. But if you want a well-written character-driven mystery, this will be a winner for you.

The characters really make this story come alive. I especially liked Pinky and Sylvia, but they're all great. As the narrative progresses, Vermont almost becomes a character of its own; there's a definite sense of place that resonates through the pages.

The time period is expertly conveyed. In that way, this book reminded me of THE LONGEST NIGHT by Andria Williams.

Endings are super tricky with mysteries, but this one is satisfying.

I'll be looking for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC; all opinions in this review are completely my own.

"Agony Hill" is a gripping mystery set against the backdrop of a changing Vermont in the 1960s.

The characters are well-developed, and the small town setting is vividly depicted. The plot is engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Franklin Warren is a likable protagonist, and his interactions with the residents of Bethany add depth to the story. Overall, "Agony Hill" is a well-written and intriguing novel that will keep mystery lovers entertained.

I give it 4 stars.

A Boston cop who has left the city under circumstances that are both apparently traumatic and unclear moves to a small town in Vermont in 1965, where he soon gets a case. A crotchety farmer who espoused "back to the land" living (while being an incompetent farmer) has died in a fire. He apparently had been drinking, may have been composing one of his many letters to the editor complaining about something, and died after locking the door to the barn he's found in. Suicide? Maybe. There was a similar case not too far away by a farmer protesting the building of the interstate through his land, a modern development the dead man also opposed. But it's not an explanation the detective entirely buys...

What made the story for me was the development of characters, including a neighbor who had been involved in intelligence during the war and the dead farmer's family, back-to-the-land outcasts with a dreamy mother who grew up poor and uneducated but is drawn to write poetry. Though the town is isolated and conservative, there's a growing sense that the draft and the war protests can't be held at bay.

The pacing is not speedy, but I didn't mind a bit. The questions are not all answered, and I was fine with that, too. I'm very much looking forward to reading more about this place and these people.




I loved this story and will be interested in future entries in the series.

A well written mystery with believable characters. The setting is fantastic, and the attitudes of the characters draw the reader in. Well done.

I really enjoyed this book! It was my first by Sarah Stewart Taylor and it did not disappoint. I loved the scene that was set very early on in the book, as well as the time in which the book takes place. The characters are very well written and relatively relatable making it a breeze to read this book! I can’t wait to read more from this author! Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC!

This is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Stewart Taylor and it did not disappoint! Loved the characters, the time period, and the setting in Vermont. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Really enjoyed this book. Characters were believable and easy to connect with. Written in a way that you wanted to know more while not easy to figure out. Would definitely recommend.

The year is 1965. After a devastating personal tragedy, Franklin Hill has relocated to Bethany, Vermont to become a detective with the State Police. While he moves into his new home, he is summoned to a deadly fire. Hugh Weber, the owner of Agony Hill Farm, has burned to death in a fire. He was found locked in his office in the barn and his death is assumed to be a suicide. Franklin has doubts. Hugh’s pregnant wife Sylvie, mother of his four sons, seems oddly disconnected from his death. Meanwhile, Franklin’s neighbor Alice, with her own mysterious background, tries to find a shoplifter. Her young friend’s boyfriend was blamed and fired from his job at the general store. These two events seem unrelated but by the conclusion of this exquisitely written, character driven mystery, the links will by obvious.

Agony Hill is full of characters you want to know more about: sensitive Pinky, Franklin with his grief, jealous Hugh, Alice and her past and Sylvia with her poetry come alive to the reader. And Vermont with all of its green rural beauty, is a character itself as is this particular time period. The Vietnam War and the back to nature movement all become part of the tapestry that is Agony Hill. It’s the first in a series. I cant wait for what comes next. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Sarah Stewart Taylor for this ARC.

This is a quiet jewel of a book, set in small town Vermont in the 1960s. For those of us who remember that time, there are elements that will easily resonate and give us a pleasant trip back in time. The characters are interesting and as I finished reading the book I hoped that there would be another book to follow as I'd like to know even more about these characters and what the next years brought for them.
It's an excellent mystery that kept me glued to the pages as well. I would not have guessed... I really wouldn't have!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. Many readers will enjoy it as much as I did.

I am still dipping my toes into the nonfiction pool, finding what works for me and what doesn’t. Books like this one has made me fall in love with reading all over again. This book was very well written.!

I couldn’t get enough of this book! From the moment I picked it up it was so captivating! I absolutely love the cover (that’s what drew me to the book first!) a must read, and highly recommended. 4 stars out of 5!

What a great read! The characters are relatable, the setting is beautiful, and the town is descriptive and vibrant. All of the story elements work well together -- the detective who has to leave the big city, the small-town folks who have a big case to solve, the cast of many who could have done it. A mystery with mysterious sub-plots. Excited to read what comes next (as there are lots of teasers in the book!). Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor, the first novel in a new series, and it is a winner! I am already completely captivated by the characters in a small New England town. Looking forward to the next one.

Crime solving mixed with exploring the characters really drew me into this book. I loved the setting: Vermont in the 1960s. Detective Warren has just started a new job in a small town in Vermont when he's thrown into a case. The peripheral characters were so interesting and described well. This is a new author for me but I will be looking into her other books. I'm so excited that this is the first in a series, and I'd be happy hearing more about either Detective Warren or many of the townspeople already introduced in this book. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Set in the 1960s, a former big city copy moves to rural Vermont and is immediately drawn into the mysterious death of a resident that no one liked. It appeared to be suicide, but Frank Warren seeks to discover why certain elements of the scene didn't make sense. The victim's blustering brother and pregnant widow add to the mystery, along with a second fire nearby.

This was a low-stress, easy, comfortable read, the first in a series. It made for good, bedtime reading, but not the heavily suspenseful kind that will keep a reader up into the wee hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Suicide or homicide? That is the question Sarah Stewart Taylor's Vermont State Police Detective Warren investigates in Agony Hill.

If the answer is homicide, the farmer's widow is a likely suspect. Such a free spirit that people often think her simple minded, the pregnant mother of four attracts Warren.

His neighbor, a former spy, offers him a sounding board. His assistant, who blushes so readily his nickname is Pinky, is supportive and loyal.

Taylor's characters are fully developed and very likable. They lend themselves to a great new series.