No Rest for the Dove

A Correction:The author of the Bracebridge series is not the Margaret Miles referred to by a previous reviewer. She spent many years in the film and video production business, writing many very successful documentary and educational films, before focusing on fiction writing. To me, her books are very enjoyable and well researched.Richard Blakeslee

This is the third book in a series set in 1765 Bracebridge, Massachusetts. In this outing, the mysterious and elegant Senor Gian Carlo Lahte, an Italian singer, arrives in Bracebridge and immediately the ladies are charmed and the men begin gossiping about him. Shortly after his arrival, a body is found on the road leading to Boston. No one recognizes the dead man, but Lahte is visibly shaken when he views the body. When the boots and buttons are stolen from the dead fellow, Charlotte Willett and Richard Longfellow, her neighbor, are intrigued by the possibilities. As they contemplate each new piece of the puzzle, the reader must speculate along with them. The author is careful to capture the flavor of the language of the times without bogging down the reader's progress. The characters are finely drawn with the author being careful to capture the flavor of the language of the times. Her descriptions are so well written that you can feel the languor and ennui of a late summer afternoon engulf you. This is an excellent historical series. Even if you don't care for historical mysteries, but prefer procedurals, try this one. I think you'll be surprised and will want to read the others in the series.

"A stranger comes to town." The plot is a classic, but in Margaret Miles' capable hands, it sings an intriguing new tune.The stranger in question is Gian Carlo Lahte, an Italian opera singer with some surprising secrets. The town is Bracebridge, the colonial New England village that is home to Charlotte Willett, her neighbor Richard Longfellow, and a vivid ensemble of farmers, tradesmen, innkeepers, and clergy.When the discovery of a corpse coincides with Signor Lahte's visit, Charlotte and Richard follow a trail of clues that leads from the bedrooms of Bracebridge to a smoke-filled tavern in Boston, where rum and revolution spice the air. Along the way, the reader is treated to plot twists that will snare even the most jaded mystery fan, as well as a host of historical characters both savory and unsavory.The biggest treat of all, though, is the interplay between the widow Willett and squire Longfellow. These two share an intellectual curiosity and love of civilized discourse that makes their dialogue sparkle. The tension between sensible intuition and scientific inquiry--as well as an underlying sexual attraction that never steps beyond the propriety of their times and stations--adds to the pleasure of eavesdropping on their lively conversations.Richard and Charlotte, as well as the fully-realized minor players who inhabit Bracebridge, are fast becoming treasured old friends whose quirks elicit knowing grins or groans. Ms. Miles is a wonderfully inventive writer who makes us care about the people she has created and eager to read the next installment. Long live Bracebridge!

This is the third book in a very enjoyable Colonial mystery series. Margaret Miles gives the reader a real flavor of Colonial America along with the murder mystery. There is a great cast of characters along with mentions of actual persons from our Colonial past. This is an interesting time (1765) to be in Boston.

In the summer of 1765, the newly enacted Stamp Tax encourages the Sons of Liberty to agitate the citizenry against the crown. Although the townsfolk living just outside of Boston know about the civil disobedience in the big city, they are more occupied with earning a living than politics.In nearby Bracebridge, Richard Longfellow and his independent neighbor Charlotte Willet are preparing to welcome of famous Italian opera singer Gian Carlo Lahte into their community. Though he has rubbed shoulders with Europe's royalty, the Castrotti comes to the New World seeking a place to call home. On the same day that Gian Carlo arrives in town, a farmer finds a corpse on the Boston-Worcester road. He brings the dead body to Richard, the town's nearest selectman. The local doctor looks at the deceased and believes poisoning is the cause o death. Charlotte and Richard make inquiries and learn that the dead person comes from Milan, Italy. As more people from Gino's hometown arrives in Bracebridge, the two amateur sleuths worry that more murders will follow.Those readers who love a cerebral historical mystery starring two fascinating protagonists will eagerly read this entertaining who-done-it. NO REST FOR THE DOVE is filled with Pre-Revolutionary War tidbits that make the era in Massachusetts outside of Boston seem vividly alive. The tantalizing world of the late eighteenth century Castrotti is also realistically depicted. Margaret Miles' wonderful Americana historical mystery series centers on her two lead charcaters who clearly are a product of their times. This talented writer offers readers a tantalizing glimpse into our countries' past.Harriet Klausner