This is a very traditional mystery that will give you the nostalgia of the era the novel is set in. It gave the feeling of being steeped in a sepia tone. In fact I did not realize the main character was only in his early thirties to late into the book because he read so much like someone you'd meet in a worn in mass market paperback on the dusty shelf of a summer cottage. But I found the writing engaging and while the pacing was slow, I found myself moving through it quickly. I thought there would be more tie in with the Vietnam War, but I think this is the first in what is supposed to be a series so this might just be the set up for more to come. I did feel like this filled with a lot of red herrings with it circling back to and obvious solution so the ending did not exactly satisfy, but again I think this may have just been the style of book that it was trying to be as this is something I would expect in more of an older mystery novel.

I don’t see me reading the subsequent books in this series. It was long and tedious. Jumping between three characters and too many mysteries that were left unresolved has me giving this two stars. Full review to come.

Full review: "Agony Hill" takes place in Vermont in 1965. A man named Franklin Warren arrives to work at the local sheriff's office as a detective. Warren has experience in major crimes and now that more "city" folks and problems are flowing through the area, the job of policing has started to change. When a local farmer named Hugh Weber though is found dead in a locked barn which leaves a question of whether he committed suicide or was murdered. This is the first book in the so-called Franklin Warren series, but the book also follows a female amateur detective named Alice Bellows, and the wife of the dead man, Sylvie.

So, this all together really didn't work. Honestly the best part of the book for me was Alice Bellows and her history. We get some glimpses of this during the book, but she's really similar to a younger Miss Marple and I liked what we get about how she solved other mysteries in the town and really seemed to know right away what happened with regards to Hugh Weber (that does not get revealed til the very end though).

Franklin Warren was boring. You have the mystery of why he is in Vermont, the reveal, and then I don't know, he seemed to just blunder around until the very end. There are still some mysteries left for him to get to the bottom of, but I didn't care.

The character of Sylvie's point of view really didn't need to be added. I just didn't get a lot of added there via her, and I just thought hers and Warren's points of view slowed down the entire flow of the book.

The plot such as it was, just isn't the main focus (Hugh's death) because we get little town mysteries and bigger mysteries going on too. It was just too much after a while.

The setting of Bethany, Vermont actually felt older than it was depicted in the book. It's supposed to take place during 1965, but it read like a throwback town in the early 1950s at times. I also thought it was weird there was no mention of Malcolm X's assassination, Bloody Sunday, The Civil Rights Marches, etc. It just felt oddly empty of Black Americans at all. Even just mentioning them and the events taking place would have made the book feel more grounded. There are many mentions of the Vietnam War and boys/men going through Vermont to get to Canada, but even that didn't seem to have been taken a hard look at via the author and their characters.

The ending didn't pack that much of a punch. I love locked room mysteries novels, but this one was pretty eh since it's real obvious who was responsible for it, (at least it was to me). It just felt like a lot of book to get there. I was hoping for something reminiscent of Miss Marple, but this was a miss for me.

"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."

And those interstates will bring a whole lot more death!

A very good mystery. It really involved several mysteries. Warren is looking to start over. After the death of his wife, he just couldn't stay in Boston or at his old job. When offered a job in Vermont, he jumps at the chance. Right away there is a suspicious fire and death. The dead man was not very well liked in the community, so there are plenty of suspects. Warren is even looking at the man's wife. He thinks there is more to the widow than what he sees. Then there is another suspicious fire near the first one and some items have been stolen around town. What is going on? Who is doing all this? Is it the same person or is there more than one? Warren likes the little town and the residents, but will they accept an outsider?

Another excellent read from Sarah Stewart Taylor, this time set in rural Vermont in the 1960's. The small town and surrounding farms were carefully drawn and proved to be a wonderful backdrop for the mystery. I enjoyed getting to know the thoughtful and emotional police detective Franklin Warren and look forward to future cases.

AGONY HILL was an absorbing historical mystery that kept me engaged the entire time. This story is so good you won't want to miss out on reading it. I'll be reading more books by this author. Highly recommend!!

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor is the first book in a new historical mystery series featuring Detective Franklin Warren. Set in 1965 in Bethany, Vermont and the surrounding rural area, Warren has just joined the Vermont State Police and has responsibility for the southern part of the state. He’s not quite finished unpacking when he’s called to a remote farm on Agony Hill. Hugh Weber, a former New Yorker and believer in self-sufficiency and autonomy through a back-to-the-land culture, seems to have set his barn on fire, with him locked inside. However, Warren doesn’t think the case is that simple. Additionally, the people of Bethany seem to have secrets including Hugh’s wife Sylvie and Warren’s neighbor, widow and amateur detective Alice Bellows.

The main and secondary characters have depth. Warren, formerly from Boston, must adjust to life in a rural community where he doesn’t know anyone. He’s a sincere and empathetic as well as being a talented investigator. It also turns out that he’s good at mentoring. Alice is somewhat enigmatic. She comes across as a kind and thoughtful person with hidden depths and abilities who loves to garden. Trooper Goodrich is eager to be Warren’s assistant investigator. Bethany Chief of Police Longwell is a somewhat old-school policeman with an ego.

The author does a great job of world-building. The setting and geography of Vermont came alive. This was also a time of change and conflict. Interstates were being built, new and more scientific investigative techniques were starting to be used, the Cold War was ongoing, and the Vietnam war and protests surrounding it were occurring regularly across the country. All of these came to life in the story.

This is more of a historical police procedural that is heavy on characterization and world-building, but has a well-developed and intricate plot as well as some occasional action. While somewhat slower paced than many police procedurals set in modern times, the pace felt appropriate to the setting and time of the novel. The author does a great job of bringing to life the small rural town and the people of Bethany, including those who have left and return only annually for a community celebration. Gossip, secrets, treatment of others, politics, progress, grief, protests, loneliness, family, death, theft, judgment of others, mentoring, money, anger, jealousy, and much more are threads that are woven into the story line. My only quibbles were that it took too long to get to the details of why Warren moved from Boston to Vermont and he wasn’t introduced to the other troopers at the local barracks.

Overall, this is an excellent historical crime novel that introduces readers to a wonderful new character in Warren as well as a fascinating town on the cusp of change. The great and vivid storytelling and fantastic characterization have made this novel a winner for me. If you enjoy old-fashioned detective work prior to cell phones, the internet, and DNA testing, then this is a series to consider. I can’t wait to find out what is next for Warren, Alice, and the other residents of Bethany.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Sarah Stewart Taylor provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 06, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Franklin Warren has just moved to Bethany, Vermont to begin his job as a detective with the state police. Before he even has a chance to unpack he is called out to the scene of a barn fire with a dead body inside. So the mystery begins… was it a suicide as the door was locked from the inside or was it murder? The setting plays an important role in the story. It is a small town during the Vietnam War. If it was murder the suspects include the pregnant wife and mother of 4 sons, the estranged brother, or someone else since he was not well thought of or liked by the town people. The mystery deepens when there is yet another fire. Warren has to deal with his personal demons resulting from the murder of his wife as he tries to solve the mystery. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to other mystery lovers.

4 stars / This review will be posted on bookwormhshme.com and goodreads.com today.

What a great mystery. Told from several points of view, this novel takes us into the minds of the prominent characters to solve the question of what happened to Hugh Weber. I really enjoyed this step back in time to a turbulent period in the history of the US. It is the summer of 1965.

Sylvie is a French-Canadian woman who married Hugh Weber when she was just a teenager, but he was in his 30s. She was so young, and had a son before the first year of the marriage was over. Originally Hugh promised Sylvie an idyllic life, living off the land of Vermont. After four children, with a fifth on the way, things were not as they started.

Mrs. Bellows was raised in Bethany, Vermont, but also traveled the world with her husband, who worked for the government. After his death, she returned to Bethany to spend her remaining years in the house built by her family. She is a bit of a sleuth herself, trying to solve the mysteries that arise in Bethany. Being one of the original families, she is well connected to the town.

During the summer of 1965, Franklin Warren arrives as a newly installed investigator for the state police. He no sooner sets foot in his new house, that he is called to investigate a suspicious death. Warren has his own demons to conquer, and this new position is going to be a challenge for him.

Going back in time to 1965 when there was so much dissent due to not only the Cold War but also Vietnam. At this period in history, the ‘hippie’ and ‘back to our roots’ movement was prevalent in bigger cities, but was just reaching the smaller communities in the US. It is a fascinating time and Taylor has captured the dynamics so well. I loved the descriptive qualities of her writing.

Recommend this step back for summer reading.

I quickly became invested in this character-driven mystery. The sense of time and place--the Vermont countryside in 1965--is strong in the story; the author obviously did her research, and it's gives the story authenticity. The Viet Nam war, the crisis for farmers whose livelihoods are threatened by the new Interstate Highway about to divide the town, and the sinister characters flying under the radar in that pre-internet age all contribute to the pot that's about to boil over in Bethany. The damaged main character, Franklin Warren, is the new Vermont State Police detective in Bethany, coming from years of working as a police detective in Boston. His tragic backstory is gradually revealed, along with the mysteries surrounding the odd, mysterious Bellows family, back-to-the-landers who have just lost their husband and father in a suspicious fire. Other characters range from elderly neighbor and Bethany native Alice, with former Secret Service connections, to a sometime 'Prophet' and Viet Nam war protestor, to the fire victim's bellicose brother, who's not happy about the will leaving everything to the surviving wife. The story, while not a nail-biter in terms of suspense, has great pacing and an engaging plot that made me reluctant to put the book down. While the main mystery here is resolved by the end, other threads and subplots are left hanging, no doubt to be further explored in subsequent novels in this new series. I'll look forward to reading them all!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the free E-copy for review.

From the very first page, this captivating novel had me hooked. We're immediately immersed in the world of Frank Webber, a detective starting over in a small Vermont town. Webber is a character with a haunted past, and while we only get glimpses of the details, it left me eager to learn more about his story.

As Webber settles into the close-knit community, he begins to forge connections with the locals, including the especially intriguing Alice. I can't wait to see how these relationships and the town itself continue to shape Webber's journey in future installments.

Filled with tantalizing red herrings, unexpected dead ends, and a deeply satisfying final revelation, this book was an absolute delight to read. The blend of small-town setting, old-school sleuthing, complicated emotions, and haunted pasts creates a truly compelling foundation for what promises to be an engrossing new series.

Overall, this was an immensely enjoyable read that has me eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Frank Webber's story. The author has crafted a world and cast of characters that I'm eager to revisit again and again.

This was a slow moving story. I felt confused most of the time about the characters. I just couldn’t get into the story at all and was really bored through out the entire book. Others will certainly enjoy it but it just wasn’t for me

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In “Agony Hill”, Sarah Stewart Taylor transports readers to rural Vermont during the volatile 1960s. With a lyrical prose style that is a joy to read, she introduces us to Bostonian detective Franklin Warren, who arrives in Bethany—a town on the brink of monumental change.

The New England atmosphere comes alive—the rolling pastures, dirt roads, and the looming Cold War. Taylor’s vivid descriptions immerse us in the beauty and darkness of small-town life.

When a former New Yorker and Back-to-the-Lander, Hugh Weber, dies in a barn fire on Agony Hill, Warren’s detective instincts kick in. But secrets abound, and truth proves elusive.

From Warren himself to the enigmatic Alice Bellows, Taylor crafts deeply drawn characters. Their interactions reveal layers of intrigue and hidden motives.

Taylor weaves a classic mystery that keeps readers engaged until the final resolution. The pacing is spot-on, and the plot twists are both unexpected and satisfying.

Yes, there’s murder, but also sheep, an Old Home Day celebration, and a sense of community. Taylor’s unsentimental eye captures life and death in a small town.

Agony Hill” delivers a rich historical thriller that lingers in the mind long after the last page. Whether you’re a fan of mysteries, historical fiction, or simply crave a beautifully crafted tale, this book won’t disappoint. 📖✨

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This detective novel is set in the 1960s in a rural Vermont town. Two fires have been set, and the recently-created state police unit is investigating. There's a family on a remote hill, there's a local busybody with a secret past, and there may be a mysterious stranger. I liked the novel, but there probably could have been even more emphasis on the Vietnam War. I figured out the mystery before the ending, despite the book taking quite a long time to get there.

3.5 stars

The writing here is picturesque and lush and paints a raw and authentic picture of Vermont. I enjoyed the mystery and the cast of characters, but I did find the pace a bit slow. All in all, this was an entertaining read.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A slow burn of a mystery in a slow town. Interesting look at how things were back in 1965, political and societal. This wasn't my kind of a fast paced thriller but anyone who likes that slow build will enjoy this.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I always enjoy reading Sarah Stewart Taylor. Her protagonists have been lively female voices before, so I was curious about Franklin Warren, her newly minted Vermont detective, and how his sensibilities would come through. A+, he's new to the community, recovering from a tragedy, has some alluded to secrets back in Boston, and proves himself wise to the world as the plot unfolds. I received this as a Netgalley ARC and I am happy to recommend this first of a series (I hope). And if you haven't read Taylor before, get started! And look for her Sweeney St. George and Maggie D'Arcy books as well.

*3.5 stars. Sarah Stewart Taylor has started a new series which is a historical mystery set in Vermont in the fall of 1965. Detective Lieutenant Tommy Johnson of the Vermont State Police has offered Franklin Warren, the son of his army buddy Allen, a job with Vermont's Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Warren will work from the barracks in Bethany, in the southern part of the state. Warren had been a detective in Boston until a personal misfortune forced him to leave his job and now he's more than happy for a fresh start.

The first day on the job, Warren gets called to the scene of a barn fire with a fatality. The farmer had been in his office in the barn with the doors locked when the fire occurred. Suicide? The autopsy later reveals that the man had a head injury but if it was a homicide, how did the killer exit the barn?

Being set in 1965 gives the author an opportunity to weave in aspects of the Vietnam War era, including the draft and anti-war protests. Taylor has done a great job of creating small-town life with interesting, believable characters such as Warren's elderly neighbor Alice Bellows, whose late husband was involved in secret WWII activities. It seems she still has some connections and a desire to involve herself in local puzzles. And then there's the pregnant widow with four sons to raise...and her husband's brother who is often drunk and verbally abusive. It seems her late husband angered just about everyone in town so there's no lack of possible suspects. I did find the mystery easy to solve however and knew who the killer had to be by 50% or so but hung in there to see if I was right and learn all the details of motive and means.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. I look forward to reading more in this new series. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor.

This a great slow burn mystery in a rural setting. The small town suffication adds to intensity, and the characters are well drawn out. A great first book of a new series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I stumbled across this new series through a Minotaur Sampler #11 and really loved it. I was very excited to receive this e-ARC and it was just as good as I initially thought!

The story opens with the main character, Frank Warren, starting his new job as a state police detective in Bethany, Vermont. Its 1965 and Detective Warren has moved from Boston to this small town in Vermont after the murder of his wife and the unwarranted suspicions of his fellow detectives. Now he is the first Detective this region ever had and the chief of Police isn’t helpful or welcoming.

His first case is immediately queued up when a crotchety farmer dies in a barn fire with the door locked from the inside. Suicide is the first conclusion. But more trouble ensues when the victim's brother comes to town as his estate executor and angrily protests the contents of the will.

The story has a small town mystery feel to it, with events unfolding slowly. I liked the characters and can see future installments expanding the character roles. While this is not a super suspenseful read, its a very enjoyable read focused on a unique historical period when interstates where starting to be built, draft dodgers were becoming a thing and DNA testing did not exist.