Reviews for Thoreau at Devil's Perch
Library Journal
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A young black man is found dead in rural Massachusetts in 1846, and no one recognizes him. Young Dr. Adam Walker, a surgeon, thinks the victim died not from a fall but from a head wound, and Henry David Thoreau-who found the body-agrees. Despite this, the local officials label the death an accident. Julia Bell, a talented artist and Adam's love interest, is intrigued and wants to get involved. Thus, the dynamic trio try sleuthing. When next a Cherokee named Trump is severely injured, only Adam's surgical work saves him. Surprisingly, Trump is looking for Caleb-the dead man. Meanwhile, one of Dr. Walker's patients, a prominent "gentleman," is dying of syphilis, and he will do most anything to protect his public image. Inevitably, sordid details become public, and murderous anger spills over. VERDICT This ambitious historical debut by a husband-wife writing team uses a dual-narration technique to propel the plot, with somewhat uneven results. While the research and fresh take on Thoreau make for an admirable start, an overpacked plot and stereotypical villains distract. [Previewed in Kristi Chadwick's Mystery Spotlight feature, "Following the Digital Clues," (LJ 4/15/13, p. 22).-Ed.] (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
