Death on the Prairie

A Chloe Ellefson Mystery #6

by Kathleen Ernst

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org

*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Pub Date Oct 08 2015 | Archive Date Oct 08 2015

Description

Chloe Ellefson and her sister, Kari, have long dreamed of visiting each historic site dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder. When Chloe takes custody of a quilt once owned by the beloved author, the sisters set out on the trip of a lifetime, hoping to prove that Wilder stitched it herself.

But death strikes as the journey begins, and trouble stalks their fellow travelers. Among the "Little House" devotees are academic critics, greedy collectors, and obsessive fans. Kari is distracted by family problems, and unexpected news from Chloe's boyfriend jeopardizes her own future. As the sisters travel deeper into Wilder territory, Chloe races to discover the truth about a precious artifact—and her own heart—before a killer can strike again.

Praise:

"Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will savor the facts...Ernst does an exceptional job of sharing the kinds of character details that cozy readers relish."—Booklist

"A real treat for Little House fans, a fine mystery supplemented by fascinating information on the life and times of Laura Ingalls Wilder."—Kirkus Reviews

"The sixth installment of this incredible series...is a super read that sparks the imagination."—Suspense Magazine

"As superbly pieced together as a blue ribbon quilt, Death on the Prairie is deft and delightful, and you don't want to miss it!"—Molly MacRae, Lovey Award-winning author of the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries

"Kathleen Ernst spins a delightful tale of intrigue that interweaves facts about Laura's life with fan folklore, and of course, murder. I give this book an enthusiastic two thumbs up!"—Linda Halpin, author of Quilting with Laura: Patterns Inspired by the Little House on the Prairie Series

"Suspense, intrigue, trafficking in stolen artifacts, blackmail, murder: they're all here in this fast-paced mystery thriller."—John E. Miller, author of Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Woman Behind the Legend and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little Town: Where History and Literature Meet

Chloe Ellefson and her sister, Kari, have long dreamed of visiting each historic site dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder. When Chloe takes custody of a quilt once owned by the beloved author, the...

Advance Praise

"As superbly pieced together as a blue ribbon quilt, Death on the Prairie is deft and delightful, and you don't want to miss it!"—Molly MacRae, Lovey Award-winning author of The Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries

"Kathleen Ernst spins a delightful tale of intrigue that interweaves facts about Laura's life with fan folklore, and of course, murder. I give this book an enthusiastic two thumbs up!"—Linda Halpin, author of Quilting with Laure: Patterns Inspired by The Little House on the Prairie Series

Available Editions

EDITION	Other Format
ISBN	9780738744704
PRICE	$15.99 (USD)

Additional Information

Average rating from 38 members

See all member reviews

Featured Reviews

Helen C, Reviewer

Against all odds, I have enjoyed all the previous books in this series about Chloe Ellefson, a curator at a Wisconsin museum of the immigrant cultures that settled the area from Northern Europe. My familiarity with the Midwest is almost as nonexistent as my knowledge of Norwegian and German immigrant culture. And yet I find myself looking forward to each new story about these genealogically obsessed midwesterners. Chloe's boyfriend, Roelke, is a small town cop, formerly a big city cop. Neither is a particularly easy-going sort -- Chloe's emotions are never far from the surface, and Roelke likes things neat, orderly, and law-abiding.

In previous books, Kathleen Ernst combined the present-day action with a parallel or complementary story from the past, and I love that element. The fifth in the series, Tradition of Deceit, was the best so far. Death on the Prairie didn't quite reach that level for me, but that may be because the theme in this one was the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of books, Little House on the Prairie. I read a few of the books when I was young, but they weren't favorites of mine, and I never watched the TV series. Fans of either the book or TV series may enjoy this book more than I did.

Once again, Chloe and Roelke spend much of the book apart. Chloe is off with her sister to explore the sites of Laura Ingalls Wilder's history and to look for evidence that a quilt she has been entrusted with may have been made by Laura herself. It turns out to be a much more dangerous undertaking than anyone would have predicted. Back home, Roelke is exhibiting signs of wanting to settle down. Will Chloe welcome this development or will it scare her silly? I'll be staying tuned.