1888 Independence Day, and Quaker midwife Rose Carroll is at the evening's fireworks display when a young female is shot. When a fellow Quaker and former slave is accused Rose investigates.
An enjoyable mystery, with a little romance, and a well-written story.
A NetGalley Book ( )

This is a very well-written, well-plotted mystery set in the small town of Amesbury, MA in 1888. The MC is Rose, who is a very strong female character, a very independent women.

I enjoyed this story, although I had not read the first book in the series. Further, I should confess that I read this book mainly because of the Quaker background and it being set in the late 19th century than for the murder mystery.

Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy of the novel through NetGalley. ( )

We are back with Rose in an 1880’s Quaker Village of Amesbury, MA, and she is still the midwife, and David is still in the picture.
We meet injustice face on when a man of color is accused of murder, but who did commit the crime. Rose is sure that this gentle man did not, but a young mill girl is murdered at the Fourth of July Celebration, and she has just let Rose in on a secret.
The author does a great job of making me believe I’m am attending the deliveries, riding a horse to the beach, or just going about my daily life. While we go about everyday life, we are also tuning into what is going on and who the real murderer is, and you are going to change from one culprit to another, and then back again, but will you be right?
Another great look into American history in old New England, with a big of suspense and mystery added in.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Midnight Ink, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

Called to Justice by Edith Maxwell is the second book in A Quaker Midwife Mystery series. Rose Carroll is a Quaker midwife in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Rose is watching the Fourth of July parade when she is approached by Hannah Breed, a seventeen-year-old mill worker. Hannah confides in Rose that she is pregnant, but she is unwilling to reveal the identity of the father. Rose agrees to help the young woman. Later that evening, Rose is enjoying the fireworks display with her beau, Dr. David Dodge. There are men shooting off guns nearby and soon screams ring out. David and Rose run over to find Hannah on the ground (someone took advantage of the chaos). When the police arrive, the manager of the Hamilton Mill, Lester Colby, makes sure to point fingers at Akwasi Ayensu, an African-American Quaker and local businessman. Rose is astounded that anyone would accuse Akwasi and is further incensed when he is arrested for the crime. Rose knows that Akwasi would not harm a soul and sets out to find the true culprit of the crime. In the meantime, Rose approaches John Whittier to hire counsel for Akwasi. Rose has to work in a little sleuthing in between her midwifery duties. Rose’s relationship with David is going along splendidly until his mother decides to interfere (she does not approve of Rose). This causes a rift between the pair that hopefully can be repaired. With Akwasi soon going to trial, Rose needs to step up her game if she is to find the real killer. The villain will not go easily, and Rose soon finds her life in peril.

Called to Justice is an interesting historical mystery novel. I liked the time period, the lovely setting, and the Rose’s occupation. I do wish, though, that the story had been written in the third person to make it easier to read. With the story being written in the first person, I found it harder to read the Quaker dialogue. I thought that the dialogue was stilted and old fashioned which suits the novel, but it hard to get through (in the beginning). The book is well-written, and I liked the mention of historical figures like Louisa May Alcott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. There are also some appealing details that help set the time. Mail is delivered twice a day which aided communication between people living in different towns as well as businesses. Also, the telephone was just starting to be installed in homes. I give Called to Justice 4 out of 5 stars. While Called to Justice is the second book in A Quaker Midwife Mystery series, it can be read alone. The author provides all the necessary background details on Rose, her family, friends, and life. The mystery was intriguing but not overly complex. Most readers will be able to discern the identity of the killer before the reveal. The relationship between Rose and David did not dominate the book. It was nice, light and romantic which I appreciated. I will be looking for more of Edith Maxwell’s novels to read. ( )

The author does a great job of detailing the time period the story is set in. I loved reading about the Quakers and their way of life. It was interesting to learn how they spoke in those days. They definitely had strong faith and abided by the rules. Rose Carroll is a midwife and sometime sleuth. The combination makes for a very well written mystery with twists that are sure to surprise readers.

While attending an Independence Day celebration Rose encounters a young girl distraught and needing help. Hannah is a slight girl with a soft spoken voice. Hannah is very troubled and confides in Rose . I can't imagine what it would be like in those days to have a secret like Hannah's. Before the evening is over a gunshot is heard and a life is cut short. Who killed Hannah? I found it interesting that fingers started pointing at a former slave who Rose knows is innocent. The author does a good job of showing what kind of detective work was done in those days.

We are fortunate to have the technologies available to us today to help solve crimes. Rose is determined to prove her friend innocent which leads to danger for her. The suspects start stacking up and I loved reading about the reasons they each had to kill the young girl. The story is intense at times and I liked how the author spoke of abuse in a sensitive way. Who would abuse a young girl and try to blame someone else? Did Hannah know something that cost her dearly?

I thought the author did an excellent job of describing a baby's birth during a time when there were no modern equipment. Rose is very calm while delivering a child and I loved how she calmed the mother down . Rose is a great character and I loved the little romance going on between her and her boyfriend. This is a great book with a mystery that takes us to the nineteenth century. We get to see first hand how people lived through the words of the author. It was a wonderful glimpse into the past and a mystery that is intriguing. The ending is so good with unexpected twists . I look forward to the next book in this exciting series.

I received a copy of this book from The Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion. ( )