On the Rocks; A Willa Cather and Edith Lewis Mystery
Hallgarth’s debut mystery takes readers to Grand Manan, an island in the Bay of Fundy, which is on the Atlantic coast between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In 1929, the island is home to a number of feminist artist colonies. Among the residents are Willa Cather and her partner, Edith Lewis. While Cather is ensconced in her attic studio writing her tenth novel, Shadows on the Rock, Edith is up on the cliffs of Whale Cove painting watercolors. As she works, she glimpses a body plunging from the edge of the cliff onto the rocks 200 feet below. The dead man is a stranger. Was the fall a suicide or a murder? Willa and Edith are drawn into the investigation. Cather fans will enjoy the atmosphere, and Hallgarth captures the local color well, providing a look at the eccentric island residents, the small-town politics, and the life of the women’s communities. A good read-alike for fans of Ed Ifkovic’s series starring writer Edna Ferber. --Barbara Bibel