Tag: literature

Emily Dickinson Is Dead by Jane Langton

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Emily Dickinson Is Dead is a murder mystery in the Homer Kelly Series. Published in 1984 (I found the book in an antique store, signed by the author with a few doodles she did on the signed page as well). She also had illustrated the book. Langton was known for her immense knowledge of Emily Dickinson and this book is a tribute to the grand dame of poetry. The story exudes wit, mystery and more importantly incorporates lines of Dickinson’s poetry into each chapter. Being published in the 1980’s it also has a throwback sense of what was happening at the time, and what could be said (and written).

But there is one true life mystery incorporated into the story. There is a mystery involving a photo which was discovered of Emily Dickinson. It has been debated for years as to if this is really her or not. To this day, no one knows for sure.

As the 100th anniversary of Emily Dickinson’s death approaches, an English professor at Amherst College in Amherst, MA has a brilliant idea to celebrate her life with a combination conference with discussions and a festival. Dickinson enthusiasts are invited from all over.

But from the start, the event seems to be cursed. Two students are killed in a dormitory fire, the women of Amherst rebel against the creators of the event because no women were included to lead any of the discussion groups, and then of course there are a few townspeople who have their own issues, some psychological and some devious.

That’s when scholar Homer Kelly accidently gets involved. As more bodies begin to pile up, and some go missing, it’s up to him to figure out what exactly is going on in this town. He cannot fathom what the real Emily Dickinson would think…especially when one of the bodies shows up in her own bedroom!

The twist to the story is that although nobody in the town knows who is doing the killings, the reader not only has a seat at the table to it all, but also knows the killer’s reasoning for why it’s being done.

Emily Dickinson Is Dead is an entertaining, enjoyable look back in time with a good murder/mystery and enough poetry incorporated that you wonder if the words she actually wrote were meant to be used as fodder for a who done it.

Published by St. Martin’s Press

The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks

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The Wharton Plot is a murder-mystery with its protagonist a successful female writer from the early 1900’s. Based on a true story, it takes place in 1911. The reader is taken back to a time when men were powerful, and women were pretty much considered second class. Even women such as Edith Wharton whose writings were well received and was extremely opinionated was constantly downplayed as being weak. With so many important messages about women throughout the book, let’s not forget this is quite an entertaining mystery with a very interesting list of suspects. 

Novelist David Graham Phillips, notoriously known for his sharp tongue and overt opinions on everything is shot dead outside the Princeton Club in New York City one morning. With few witnesses present, the killer was able to run away. The writing community is in shock, as was Edith Wharton herself. She had just met him recently and had immediately disliked him. 

At first, Edith is not really interested in the killing as she has had enough of New York City as well as her husband for that matter and wants to escape. But with her publisher eager for her to turn in her next, very late book, she’s stuck in this new emerging city.

But when Phillips’ sister goes to Edith insisting his death was caused by his new book which was being released and he had been getting threatening notes, including the morning of the murder, well her interest is certainly piqued. As she agrees to look into the situation, she finds herself immersed in reading Phillips’ new book coming out, talking to his friends and colleagues as well as a few shady characters really to no avail. But suddenly all that changes as Edith herself begins to receive threatening notes which don’t really make any sense. Now it’s up to her to try and put the pieces of this puzzle together because it seems she herself is in danger!

The Wharton Plot is an interesting jaunt into feminist history with a woman ahead of her time with very strong opinions and a creative problem-solving mind and a mystery which pulls the reader in and never lets them go.

Thank you #NetGalley # MinotaurBooks #MariahFredericks #TheWhartonPlot for the advanced copy.