I really enjoyed this book. I liked the setting and the small town with all the different characters. Growing up, we visited VT a lot as my Aunt and Uncle had a farm in Northern VT. The story kept me engaged as I wanted to know what happened and who was actually involved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I just finished reading the new Sarah Stewart Taylor mystery - Agony Hill which came out on Tuesday. Thanks to Minotaur or my advanced copy via Netgalley!

This mystery is set in 1960s rural Vermont and is setting up a new series about this sleepy small town and the new detective who arrives to work for the state police. As this rural town is facing changes with an interstate coming through town and new people along with the Cold War and Vietnam.

I loved the setting and this historical mystery. This was a slow story but I liked the descriptions of the town and people as we got to know them. I always enjoy Sarah's writing as I loved the Maggie D'arcy series. But just know this is a much slower book and a police small town mystery, not a thriller.

Agony Hill is a mystery/police procedural novel set in 1965 in the small town of Bethany, Vermont. Franklin Warren is a newly arrived detective from Boston and has a death by fire to investigate almost as soon as he arrives. The novel is told in the third person with multiple perspectives, including Sylvie , the wife of the man killed and Alice, an older woman who may have been a spy years ago.

Readers of William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series will enjoy Agony Hill. And this is the first in a series as well, so we have more to look forward to. There’s definitely more to learn about Warren and Alice. Sarah Stewart Taylor was a new author to me so I’m glad to be able to explore her other works.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This is a great start to a new series set in Vermont in the early 1960s. Franklin Warren moves from Boston to Bethany to start a new job as a detective. There were a lot of characters but I feel the author is setting them up to be in future books. I felt Warren and Alice were particularly well developed. I think Pinky and Tommy will come into play in the future.

His first case is investigating a farmer who appears to have committed suicide by locking himself in and burning down his barn and also the arson of a cabin in the woods. Alice is not exactly a busybody but likes to do her own little side investigations, this time trying to exonerate a young man who was accused of stealing cartridges from the general store and who was

It wasn't a heart pounding ending but still very satisfying and I assume that is how most cases resolve. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Agony Hill, the first book in the Frank Warren series by author Sarah Stewart Taylor is set between August and October of 1965.
Our MMC, Frank Warren has just moved from Boston to work in law enforcement in the town of Bethany, Vermont. He’s coping with the loss of his wife Maria and is hoping to get a new start.
Pretty much immediately he is called to a fire where the owner, Hugh Weber, is found dead locked inside his barn. His pregnant wife Sylvie and his four sons all mange the struggling farm.
The book centers arround the cause of the death and fires in the are. Along with some petty thefts. The cast of characters are all hiding little jewels about their past. The author spends a great deal of time building characters and the Vermont lifestyle.
All together it is a very slow build story. Not a lot of action to propel it along. It does read as more of a police procedural than anything else. Altogether a good read and I will definitely be looking forward to see where this author takes the series.
I received a ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I DNF this one around the 20% mark. I found it a bit too slow for my taste and just couldn’t get into itz

Sarah Stewart Taylor does an amazing job of making you feel the small-town vibe of Bethany.
When Warren relocates to Bethany, he doesn't expect to get his first case as soon as he arrives. The case is a man found dead in his barn after it caught fire. Was it arson/murder? or did the man kill himself? This is what Warren and his fellow officers must determine. If only this man wasn't one of the most despised men in town. They might have an easier time figuring out the truth.

This is a good story, with great characters, and a great mystery that had me scratching my head at every new piece of information discovered. I did think Warren's small infatuation with the new widow was a bit fast, and kind of came out of nowhere, especially after his first impression of her. But that didn't really affect how I felt about the story overall. It was just a bit slow for me, this one is more mystery than thriller and I need some action or suspense to keep me invested.

I really liked Warren's neighbor Alice, she is a very intriguing character and I would have loved to have more scenes from her POV. Alice is a bit mysterious, and I like how she has her fingers in everything that's going on.

This series beginner is from an author that I’m enjoying from another series (Maggie D’arcy) so I was excited to start something new from her.

This series is centered in 1965 rural Vermont and follows state police detective Franklin Warren who has recently re-located from Boston to Vermont following some tragic personal events. He’s a pleasure getting to know as he is a smart and sympathetic character out to do his job.

His first case involves a possible suicide (or murder?) of a former New Yorker who has purchased a remote farm on Agony Hill and become a back-to-the-land farmer with a wife and four sons (with another on the way). He is found in a burning barn locked from the inside. While there is a possible motive for suicide, Warren must investigate and is not convinced as the volatile, jealous and not well-liked farmer had lots of folks who might have wanted him dead. The denouement here was somewhat of a bittersweet surprise.

I enjoyed this but not as much as the previous series…and yes, I know comparisons are not fair. I’m hoping that part of it is that first books in series have a high bar to contend with. They must set the stage with a whole lot of background while also catching and keeping the reader’s attention. So, I’m hoping that by the next installment (now that we’ve met Warren and know some of his backstory as well as being introduced to secondary characters), it will become one of my favorite go-tos. There’s plenty here (including a very mysterious and interesting retired neighbor) to keep things going for quite a while…which is always great to discover.

My sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing the free early arc of Agony Hill for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Agony Hill is the first book in the Frank Warren mysteries by Mary Stewart Taylor. It is the changing 1960s when Frank Warren is offered a job by his dad‘s old friend and moves from Boston Massachusetts to Bethany Vermont he moves in to the old Vickers house and hits the ground running when summoned by his new boss To a burnt down barn and a dead local inside. With small town secrets in the growing pains of getting adjusted to a new town Frank Warren does his best to get in with the flow of a small town. It’s even harder to find a suspect when everyone is a stranger but Frank Warren dives in and does his best. From the very beginning with the stranger at the river I was intrigued to find out what happened but I am going to be honest and say I quickly lost interest only for at to rev back up as the chapters changed from the dead man’s strange family back to Frank I did like watching Frank get a custom to his new neighbors especially his secretive neighbor next-door miss Bellows but I digress I think a lot of people would like this book and it is usually a book I would love so maybe it is just the timing because Books hit you differently at different times. I still recommend this book because I said to catch up my interest in the beginning and Mary Stuart Taylor is an awesome awesome author so I definitely recommend this first book in her new series.#NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #MaryStuartTaylor, #AgonyHill, #TheFrankWarrenMysteries,

Sarah Stewart Taylor's new fascinating historical mystery series, AGONY HILL, featuring Detective Frank Warren #1, is a unique blend of small-town crime and small-town secrets.

With a well-developed, fun cast of characters, it leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in this intriguing series.

About...

Step back in time to rural Vermont in 1965, a period of significant change with the construction of a new interstate highway. This era, marked by the Vietnam War and protests, provides a compelling historical backdrop for a gripping crime novel.

There are also dark secrets beneath this beautiful vivid setting in Vermont.

Franklin Warren (from Boston) accepts a detective position in Bethany, Vermont, and is immediately called upon to investigate a barn fire with Trooper Goodrich (Pinky).

Warren's father was a war friend of Detective Lieutenant Tommy Johnson of the Vermont State Police's Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is responsible for hiring Warren for the Bethany area.

The barn fire initially thought to be a suicide by Hugh Weber, who allegedly set fire to the barn and locked the door from the inside, is shrouded in mystery. Was it really a suicide or a cleverly disguised murder?

The narrative revolves around Sylvie Weber, a young widow with four boys and another child on the way, and her deceased husband, Hugh. Their story, intertwined with the introduction of Victor, Hugh's brother, who is not pleased with the will, plays a pivotal role in the unfolding mystery.

There was also a similar case where another farmer killed himself in a barn in protest of the interstate highway. Or is there an arsonist loose on Agony Hill, adding a layer of suspense and intrigue to the story?

There is also another storyline with Warren's inquisitive and smart neighbor, Alice (55), a widow and amateur detective with her own secrets. (she has lived a fascinating life). Her husband was part of the intelligence community. She is vice chair of the Ladies Aid Society, very connected to the church and the entire community, and not much gets past her. She solves crimes!

Oh, and there is also a mysterious man hiding and living in the woods.

What secrets and darkness lie behind the beauty of Vermont on Agony Hill?

My thoughts...

An excellent historical crime series! AGONY HILL is an intriguing mystery with a literary flair—and the author is off to a fine start with the first in an exciting series, with a large cast of colorful characters amidst the vivid 60s rural backdrop. Readers will be left excited and eager for the next installment in this series.

I found Warren and Alice, in particular, fascinating! I liked Warren, and he appears to be a good mentor, kind, and fair. Chief Longwell, Pinky, and Reverend Grayson Call are also in the center and supporting cast.

*THE NOVELLA: .05 Prequel to Detective Warren. MUD SEASON. If you are curious about Alice, you must read Mud Season: A Bethany, Vermont Story! It includes an illustrative map of Bethany, Vermont, and all the places you will find in Agony Hill. Alice is a hoot, with a case she gets involved in and the introduction of Detective Warren.

I was unaware of the prequel until I saw it in another's review. It is free, so grab it. After reading the novella, I bumped up my review from 4 to 5 stars for Agony Hill. Mud Season features the inquisitive widow and amateur sleuth Alice, with a teaser of Agony Hill. (June 2024) 5 stars as well. Review coming.

In Agony Hill, you learn more about Detective Warren around the 70% mark, so be patient. It's a tragic story and will make you appreciate him even more.

The slow-burn mystery comes to life with its vivid backdrop, well-developed plot, and engaging characters. I loved Alice's stunning garden, the food, the neighbors, her stories, and the town. Alice is one sharp, resourceful, interesting cookie! I also enjoyed the mysterious Sylvie, a mother, her poem writing, and her love of books. I can't wait to catch up with all these characters in the next edition.

It has a noir vibe since it was set in the 1960s without all the modern cop procedurals, cell phones, etc. Vivid storytelling! The author does a great job with the small rural town setting and its politics, gossip, death, greed, money, and more. I loved Alice's Ford Falcon (the car we owned at my wedding).

Readers will be eager to learn more about Warren, his background, and why he moved to rural Vermont from Boston. I particularly enjoy books set in the '60s since I grew up in the era before all the modern conveniences of the world took over. I cannot wait to see what's next from Warren, Alice, and all the characters in Bethany!

This is my first book by the author; however, it appears she has some popular series and resides in Vermont. I look forward to more! I highly recommend it.

Recs...

AGONY HILL and the series is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Jan Karon (The Mitford Series), Linda Castillo, Heather Gudenkauf, Ron Rash, William Kent Krueger, Tim Johnston, Allen Eskens, T. Greenwood, Nicole Baart, Robin Mahle, and Julia Spencer-Fleming.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for a gifted digital advanced reading copy via NetGalley.

blog review posted @
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My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 6, 2024
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This was my first book by this author and I plan to check out what else she has to offer.
This was not a fast paced book filled with chills and thrills but it kept me interested because even in slower parts, there was still new information about characters, location, etc. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions.
I don’t read a lot of books with male MC’s anymore but I really liked Frank. He was fair, knowledgeable and human. He’s not perfect.
The neighbor, Mrs. Bellows, has great potential. This is the first in this series and I’m hoping she plays a big part in the next also.
I did receive this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn’t get any indication that this book is going to be part of a series (especially since the title wouldn’t fit a series), but it would definitely be a series that I could enjoy. The main character, Warren is intriguing and likable - he’s a skilled detective and we only get a glimpse into his past so I’m sure there’s more story there. And his neighbor, Alice is quite a mysterious character. She seems a bit like Miss Marple with espionage in her past. I definitely want to hear more from her. The setting in 1960s rural Vermont is perfect - I really liked how the author included little details like having to use landlines,etc. And the murder mystery itself was well done - it had me guessing, suspecting everyone and the clues were presented very carefully. I especially appreciated the absence of crazy, mind blowing twists and that the story was really pretty simple and the characters so down to earth.
Very enjoyable! Please turn this into a series with Warren and Alice doing some unofficial teaming up to solve crimes and we get to learn more about their pasts.

A new series from Sarah Stewart Taylor whose brilliant trilogy about Homicide Detective Maggie D'Arcy is a favorite of mine. Set in rural Vermont in the mid-60s, the beginning of a divisive era of change, the story is an atmospheric and almost meditative police procedural. Immediately upon arriving for his new position at the Vermont State Police, Warren Franklin is called to a fire on Agony Hill where a body is discovered in a barn locked from the inside. While his next door neighbor, a seemingly an innocuous elderly woman, has both the talent of a natural investigator and a past history of interest. Several other incidents may or may not be related. While the main mystery is resolved, others touched on will hopefully rise to greater focus in following volumes. Fascinating characters with depth people this book, ones I want to meet again.
4.25⭐

Author of the Sweeney St. George and Maggie D’Arcy series, Sarah Stewart Taylor opens a new mystery series with Agony Hill. Set in and near the fictional small town of Bethany, Vermont, the story opens with a prologue in which readers meet the Webers, a farm family consisting of father, pregnant mother, and four sons living on nearby Agony Hill. Following their workday, Sylvie, the mother, treats the boys to a swim at the farm pond. Their fun is soon disrupted by the ominous appearance of a raggedy, knife-wielding stranger insisting that Sylvie do something for him. The prologue ends on this mysterious note.

Chapter One opens in August 1965 as a newly arrived state detective, Franklin Warren from Boston, not yet fully unpacked and with no phone, is approached by a teenage boy announcing that a phone call has come for him about a fire on Agony Hill. Warren follows the boy to a neighbor’s house. Summoned by Detective Lieutenant Tommy Johnson of the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Warren asks directions to Agony Hill where he learns Hugh Weber, the Weber family father and slipshod back-to-the land farmer from New York, has died in a barn fire under mysterious circumstances.

Was Hugh Weber’s death suicide or murder? As Detective Warren investigates, readers come to know the deceased, his wife and sons, neighboring farmers, Bethany’s town doctor, lawyer, newspaper editor, bartender, shopkeepers, various other townsfolk, state and local police, and the deceased’s angry, estranged big-city brother, Victor Weber.

Bethany Vermont comes to life in the novel. Although a fictional town, I felt as if I could show up in Bethany on Old Home Day, find my way around, and enjoy Alice Bellows’ raspberry cake in the Ladies Aid tent. The author and family live on a Vermont farm, giving her first-hand knowledge of the local lifestyle although some research, no doubt, went into the setting, for Taylor incorporates details of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights era, showing how national and international events distant from rural Vermont nonetheless impinged on its people’s lives

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for this page-turning new book from Sarah Stewart Taylor.

<b>Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for review.</b>

Agony Hill started off by surprising me. The first scene in this book seemed to suggest something to me that I later realized was wrong - and the payoff from that realization was gold. It's a very moody and atmospheric read, taking off at a relaxed gait that I found refreshing, even as it maintained that pace throughout. Often mystery authors seem to think their novels must accelerate duly each chapter or so, and while that formula can lead to satisfying crescendos of action towards the end, it can also result in a somewhat harried stumble across the finish line. I can't count how many times a mystery novel has surprised me - in a bad way - by suddenly ending when I wasn't prepared for it to be over. As a reader that experience can be a bit jarring. Agony Hill avoids that by eschewing melodrama and sensationalism.

I will admit that the middle of this novel dipped just a bit for me in terms of momentum, but I think that's something of an inevitability when a protagonist sits with a problem for a while before coming to a conclusion. They must persevere and by association so must we. While the developments on the mystery proper temporarily slowed a bit in the center of this humid, paranoid, and often claustrophobic tale, that allowed for more rumination on the character of the town, its inhabitants, and the emotional journey of the novel's protagonist, all of which I welcomed as a reader. It must be said that Warren is a very rewarding character to invest one's time in - I really enjoyed his inner struggles and his constitution and would be happy to read a future installment with him in the central role.

Agony Hill is something of an antithesis to the flashy, frenetic, designed-for-Hollywood bestsellers that occupy the top shelf in Target all too often nowadays. (Although a film adaptation would probably be a great idea.) It's comfortable telling its story at a pace that is germane to its setting, characters, and established tone; it's a novel that sets out <i>not</i> to shock or to titillate, but to illuminate a small corner of humanity while spinning a good mystery in the process. That it does so with style and a memorable moodiness is a nice bonus.

Sarah Stewart Taylor’s "Agony Hill" transports readers to rural Vermont in the tumultuous 1960s, weaving a tapestry of vivid New England atmosphere and complex characters. The story follows Bostonian Franklin Warren as he adjusts to his new role as a state police detective in the small town of Bethany. The backdrop of impending change, with new interstates and the impact of the Vietnam War protests, sets a rich historical context. When Warren investigates a suspicious death on Agony Hill, the novel delves into the secrets and complexities of the town’s inhabitants, providing a compelling, if sometimes meandering, mystery.

While Taylor excels at creating an evocative setting and deeply drawn characters, "Agony Hill" struggles with pacing issues that may deter some readers. The narrative often drifts, making it difficult to maintain momentum and engagement with the plot. The protagonist's journey and the small-town dynamics are intriguing, but the central mystery lacks the urgency needed to keep the story consistently gripping. Overall, "Agony Hill" offers a detailed and atmospheric glimpse into 1960s Vermont, though it falls short of being a truly captivating historical mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for the gifted arc.

I gave this book 3.5 stars rounding up to 4! I love reading about small town mysteries and it’s even better when it’s in the historical era. If you want to be taken back in 1965 Vermont time period, this is a book for you to read. We follow several characters into a mystery of the mysterious death of a local farmer.

I liked how there was a lot of attention to detail as this author painted a pretty vivid detail of how this town in rural VT was portrayed. I also love how it was told from different POV’s, which gives you different perspectives of the town and what’s going on.

I thought this was beautifully written, but it was definitely a slow burn, perhaps a bit too much of a slow burn for me. However, I still enjoyed it and look forward to the second book in this series.

In book one of the Frank Warren series, Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor is a thoughtful mystery, full of vivid characters and a timeless quality to the story. The story introduces Frank Warren, a man who’s experienced hardship as he tries to determine the truth of Weber’s death, whether is a suicide or murder. Just as with the character of Warren, readers will also be drawn to the people of this small town set in Vermont, created with stunning visual details that lead the reader through to the resolution.
The primary characters, both Frank Warren and Alice Bellows, as well as the wife of the victim, Sylvie, are introduced with a careful quality, allowing the reader to absorb their personalities and why they are all involved in the narrative. All of the characters are vivid and all are equally important to the telling of the mystery. The story slowly unfolds the mystery until the conclusion is spread before the reader, not a surprise but a revelation, one that some mystery readers will have seen in the details spread before them. And while there are unresolved threads that may lead to future stories, the crux of the novel is resolved with a beautiful ending.
If you love thoughtful mystery and vivid characters, I think you will enjoy this new mystery series by Sarah Stewart Taylor. The setting is particularly engaging, set in 1965 Vermont and the characters are truly compelling. I absolutely loved reading this novel and want to see more from these characters.

This was a great start to the Agent Warren series!
The thing I really liked about this book was the slower story-telling. There was a lot of detail about the town of Bethany where the story was set, great character development, and a central mystery that I did not figure out before it was revealed. My favorite character in the story was Mrs. Bellowes! There is a lot to unpack here so if you like a historical mystery with interesting details and intriguing characters, this might be for you.
I will be continuing the series when the next one releases and checking out this author's backlist.
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur for the ARC.

A rural town in Vermont has become the new home for Detective Franklin Warren in 1965 as he seeks a new start after a personal tragedy. His next door neighbor, a widow with foreign service ties leaves him a welcome basket as well as shares her phone with him until he can get one installed, thus starts the beginning of a beautifully written book that captures the atmosphere of a town that that is peaceful on the surface but has hidden secrets, while it faces looming changes. The characters are engaging, I enjoyed the interaction between Warren and his ‘detective in training’, Pinky as Warren teaches him the subtleties of conducting an investigation, while Pinky shares his small town knowledge, he’s happy to ask aunts and friends about any gossip they’ve heard as they try to determine if a farmers death was suicide or murder. As other crimes come to light I was eagerly reading to see if they were linked to one another, while the books’ pace isn’t fast it definitely kept me engaged. The ending was so well done, I didn’t see it coming, and it’s left me eager to read the next book, I’m especially hoping for more from neighbor Alice Bellows.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance copy, since I loved the author’s previous Maggie D’arcy series set in New York and Ireland I was thrilled when I received this book. It’s perfect for those who love thoughtful mysteries with a setting in the not too distant past that the author has nailed spot on.