Thank you Net Galley, St Martin’s Publishing and Minotaur Books for this ARC of Agony Hill. Sarah Taylor is new to me as an author, but she did a great job of writing an appealing, page-turning mystery. I read a little of this book early this summer as part of a Minotaur Sampler. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, I love these samplers. They open up a new world of reading by new authors. I hope they keep offering them.

Agony Hill was a much more classical mystery than I have read in some time. All the elements were there; a quiet locale, maybe a murder, a police officer, and a sympathetic widow. All the makings of an old fashioned who dun it. I loved it. The time and place were especially appealing - a small town in Vermont in the mid 1960’s. I can’t remember when or if I have read a book that was so visually portrayed with words. Wonderful job!

I really felt a kinship with Det. Warren. He was clearly traumatized by events in his past. This trauma made him more real and emotionally charged than other more composed law enforcement in books. He was searching for a just outcome, not just an arrest. Great job with his character.

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor is set in the 1960's and revolves around town of Bethany in Vermont and the new detective, Franklin Warren, who just moved there, He is called into action as soon as he moves there. On a rural farm in Agony Hill, Hugh Webber has set fire to his farm and himself. But things just don't seem right to detective Warren. As he investigates, he gets immersed into this town and it's people. I found this to be a slow burn but it all plays out nicely. I enjoyed this book.

Arriving in Bethany, Vermont, Detective Franklin Warren has.not even unpacked when he receives his first call to a fire on Agony Hill. Firefighters found a burning barn with the door blocked from the inside. Hugh Weber, the owner, is dead in his office. Everyone is saying that it looks like suicide, but Warren has his suspicions. Hugh was not well liked by the people of Bethany. His constant letters to the local paper were filled with complaints and he often became bitter after nights at the bar. His wife Sylvie was raised on a farm and he depended on her and the children to keep their farm running. While money was always tight, he was determined to make his living off the land. Sarah Stewart Taylor builds her story around the death of Hugh Weber and Warren’s investigation. As he interviews the newspaper’s editor, the town’s doctor and residents who knew Hugh it serves as an introduction to Bethany. It is 1965, a time of protests over the war as well as concerns regarding the impact of the developing highway system, which will bring more people to the area as well as more crime. Warren is an experienced investigator who recently suffered a tragedy of his own, making the move to a small New England town a chance for a new start as the commander of the local state police barracks.

It is summer in Bethany and Taylor brings the village to life as neighbors prepare for the annual parade and fair. Warren’s neighbor, Alice Bellows, is a major presence in the town. Stationed with her husband in Cairo during the war, she is now a widow with a background in Intelligence. She is observant and the person that people come to for advice and help. She is one of the most engaging characters in Taylor’s novel. With a steady pace throughout and a satisfying conclusion to the investigation into Hugh’s death, readers will look forward to Warren’s return. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin/Minotaur for providing this book.

I enjoyed reading Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor much more than I thought I would. It’s a really good mystery! It takes place in the small town of Bethany, Vermont in the 1960’s. I don’t believe I’ve ever read any of this authors books before but I found her writing to be smooth and easy to read. The story just seemed to flow. I thought some of the characters involved were a bit odd but they all had a story to tell. I especially liked Franklin Warren, the new detective that just moved to town. The story gives you a brief look into his past but doesn’t go into too much detail and I was hoping to learn what it was that happened to his wife Maria. Overall, I thought it was an interesting story, it really held my attention and the ending was not at all what I expected. I felt it ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger because it left me wondering what was going to become of Alice Bellows along with a few of the other characters. I’d like to thank Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc to read and review. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I’m giving this story a 4 star rating and look forward to reading more by this author very soon.

I found this to be a small town mystery, without the quirky cutesy that you typically receive. While i enjoyed the plot overall, I was left disappointed in not being able to learn more about some of the side plots. Are we really left to not learn more about Mrs. Bellows?

Interesting story but I had a hard time connecting with the characters. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

Astute, sinister, and immersive!

Agony Hill is an engrossing, gritty novel that takes us to Bethany, Vermont, in 1965, where newly hired state police detective Franklin Warren suddenly finds himself mixed up in a complex investigation involving the death of a local farmer that may be the result of suicide, arson, or just plain murder.

The prose is authentic and rich. The characters are flawed, intelligent, and tenacious. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into a compelling mix of family, community, intrigue, drama, secrets, mayhem, and murder.

Overall, Agony Hill is a suspenseful, absorbing, atmospheric tale by Taylor that is a thoroughly enjoyable read and a fantastic start to this new Franklin Warren series.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. The story was ok, I never really connected with the characters but I enjoyed it well enough.

This is a murder mystery that takes place in rural Vermont in the mid 1960’s. Frank Warren comes to town as the new detective for the state police and finds himself investigating a murder as soon as he arrives. There are many secrets in this community as the investigation continues. There are a lot of great characters esp the widow of the murdered man. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Prior to this book I had only read one by Sarah Stewart Taylor - one of her Maggie D'Arcy series. I was happy to have the chance to read another by her.

Description:
Set in rural Vermont in the volatile 1960s, Agony Hill is the first novel in a new historical series full of vivid New England atmosphere and the deeply drawn characters that are Sarah Stewart Taylor's trademark.

In the hot summer of 1965, Bostonian Franklin Warren arrives in Bethany, Vermont, to take a position as a detective with the state police. Warren's new home is on the verge of monumental change; the interstates under construction will bring new people, new opportunities, and new problems to Vermont, and the Cold War and protests against the war in Vietnam have finally reached the dirt roads and rolling pastures of Bethany.

Warren has barely unpacked when he's called up to a remote farm on Agony Hill. Former New Yorker and Back-to-the-Lander Hugh Weber seems to have set fire to his barn and himself, with the door barred from the inside, but things aren’t adding up for Warren. The people of Bethany—from Weber’s enigmatic wife to Warren's neighbor, widow and amateur detective Alice Bellows — clearly have secrets they’d like to keep, but Warren can’t tell if the truth about Weber’s death is one of them. As he gets to know his new home and grapples with the tragedy that brought him there, Warren is drawn to the people and traditions of small town Vermont, even as he finds darkness amidst the beauty.

My Thoughts:
The rural Vermont setting was enjoyable and evoked the feeling of rural life and community. The murder mystery was strange with the man burned to death in a room in a barn that was locked from the inside. If it wasn't suicide, how would it have been possible? With a man everyone seemed to dislike, there were certainly numerous theories to investigate; but it was certainly a difficult investigation. I enjoyed the story and liked the writing style. The characters fit their parts well and were mostly likable, especially Franklin Warren, the detective and Alice Bellows, the amateur detective elderly neighbor. They each had some secrets themselves which were interesting to uncover.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. It was long and tedious and jumped between 3 characters and left too many mysteries unresolved. The best part for me was Alice Bellows and her story. I won't be reading the rest of the books in the series. I gave this one 2 stars.

A very good mystery that takes place in small town Vermont during the Vietnam War. Very interesting players who are coping with the violence and changes that affected American society at that time. The character s are well drawn and reflect much of what I remembered of the time.
Murder, fire and alternative life styles are well drawn..,The ending is not really conclusive and I would like to see a sequel .

It’s 1965 and the President Lyndon B. Johnson has sent the first American troops to Vietnam. Bethany, Vermont is a sleepy little town nestled near the Canadian border. Crime there has been low, but they’re seeing an uptick as more vacationers flock to the area and the interstate is inching closer and closer. Franklin Warren is the newly arrived detective from Boston. He’s barely unpacked his boxes when he gets a phone call about a possible suicide on Agony Hill.
This is a locked-room mystery/crime novel. Taking place during the countercultural decade, with a lovely bucolic setting, a grief-stricken protagonist, his supporting ensemble of characters, and excellent writing this is a terrific beginning to a new series. I got lost in the pages of this compelling story and am looking forward to the next book featuring Detective Franklin Warren and his new friends, neighbors and associates. 4.5 stars

This was a really well done police mystery - which is not at all what I was expecting. I thought more historical fiction, which was a little disappointing. I liked the close knit neighborhood, the secrets that they were clearly keeping and the overall vibe of the book. I struggled with who to trust and guessing the end did not come easily. The descriptions of the town and all things going on were done perfectly. It was very easy to transport into the book. I struggled to review this as I am not a huge fan of police mysteries, so this obviously was not my cup of tea. I just felt that the book was well written, the characters were dynamic and I liked the overall plot.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced audio and e copy.

A good start to a new series of cozy mysteries. Franklin Warren is starting over in rural Vermont. Vivid characters help him solve his first cases. From the town busybody with an interesting past to the blushing colleague nicknamed Pinky.

It’s August of 1965, and Frank Warren has transferred to Bethany, Vermont as a Detective for the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. After suffering a tragedy, the new position and move is a welcome change for Detective Warren.

Right away Warren is called out when a man dies in fire at one of the farms. At first glance, suicide is suspected, but Warren feels there’s might be more. Weber, a back-to-the-land farmer, was not well-liked man. His wife’s reactions to his death isn’t as expected, but from all accounts the Weber family is regarded as a bit odd.

Warren is a newcomer, so we’re introduced to the town and inhabitants through his eyes. But we also get the perspective of Alice Bellows, Warren’s neighbor, a longtime resident and bit of an amateur sleuth, as well. Alice has her own investigation(s), and I’m intrigued by her mysterious past and how it might play out in future stories. Sylvie Weber (Hugh’s widow) also has a POV. Pieces of the past revealed through her recollections. She’s an interesting character and I hope to see more of her and her children in the coming books.

Agony Hill was engrossing from the first page! The characters, time period, and setting of Vermont were vividly portrayed! I felt immersed in the story as Detective Warren pieced together all the facts and got to the truth. I liked seeing the relationships forming between Warren, his junior partner, Pinky, and other townsfolk. One relationship I’m especially interested in even though it’s been put in the “impossible” column for now. I’m eager for the next installment!

This was a fun mystery set in 1960's rural Vermont. A new detective moves to a small town with some secrets of his own, and is quickly tasked with solving a mysterious fire in a barn that killed a man. Was it suicide or something more nefarious? Along the way we meet the town's cast of characters and feel the atmosphere of their small-town life. I liked the book a lot, but at times felt like it was a little slow moving -- like "come on and let's figure this out already!" This will be the first in a series featuring the detective, and I feel like there were some story lines, especially with neighbor Alice Bellows, that seemed extraneous, but perhaps they're setting us up for future books. That is my main criticism -- some parts of the story that didn't seem necessary to this book, but perhaps necessary to the longer-term series. Despite the death this almost has "cozy mystery" vibes to it -- nothing too gory or scary but with a good mystery at the heart of the book.

A slow-burn of a mystery that I enjoyed. The first ina new series that I will continue reading. I love the setting of New England and all of the characters.

Thank you Minotaur and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book!

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor takes place in a small Vermont town, Bethany, in 1965. The author tied in the Vietnam War only through mentioning it a few times. The new detective in town is Warren, previously a Boston police officer. He is a broken man after finding his young wife brutally murdered in their home in Boston. He takes on several new mysteries in town as soon as he arrives. Many of the citizens of Bethany like to know everything about everybody in town. This leads to a slow twisting in the story.. You get to know every bit of nitty gritty, albeit in a very slow way.
It seemed the author was setting the story for the next book, hopefully not repeating all of the background. The book was quite enjoyable at times but there were parts that truly didn't belong.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced read. My opinion is totally my. own.

Tedious. Lengthy. Anticlimactic.

This one as a miss for me. The storyline was incredibly drawn out, slow and repetitive. The old school detective work was one thing that kept me from not completely disliking the book, however it was entirely too dry. The characters and the plot weren’t well developed in my opinion which made the book feel longer than necessary, and with slim to no climaxes in it was rather boring.