As the nineteenth century nears an end, midwife Rose Carroll can see signs of progress and change everywhere in her Amesbury community. Adding to the excitement is the annual Spring Opening, when the town’s world-famous carriage manufacturers throw open their doors to visitors from all over the globe. This year’s festivities are tainted, however, when a representative from a prominent Canadian carriage company is murdered.
Driven by her strong sense of justice, Rose is determined to track down the killer. She has only just begun her investigation when she learns that the plans for a radical new horseless carriage have gone missing. Faced with the question of whether the two crimes are connected—and a list of suspects that includes some of Amesbury’s own residents and any number of foreign visitors—Rose has to delve into a case with implications for the future, even if the motive for murder is one of mankind’s oldest . . .
Rose Carroll Dodge has settled well into married life, she still has her midwife practice (now run out of her new home), and she is boosting her assistant up to be a full partner (partly because Rose herself is pregnant!), at the time this tale is set Amesbury is somewhat over run with people from all over as the annual Carriage Spring Opening is happening, a week of celebration and business within the carriage community. This year though the festivities are over shadowed by the death of one of the visitors from Canada, now with Rose's good friend Kevin Donovan being upgraded to acting Chief of Police he still relies on Rose being a sounding board for what is happening. With Rose's niece's husband in the frame as a murderer and other members of the community keeping secrets Kevin and Rose will need their wits about them.
This turns into a story of endings and beginnings and it is well worth reading the whole series, just to get the full feeling of fulfilment that Edith Maxwell has written!
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