Death of Winter Shaker

A 1930s depression-era Shaker village provides the backdrop for this thoroughly enjoyable cozy debut. A ""winter shaker,"" someone who pretends to be a Believer to gain food and shelter during the winter, turns up dead in the Shaker village of North Homage, Ky., and the sheriff of the nearby town is eager to blame the murder on a member of Sister Rose Callahan's supposedly non-violent flock. Proving the sheriff wrong isn't easy, especially when Sister Rose learns that several of her followers harbor some unholy secrets and each has a darned good reason for wanting the murdered man dead. Woodworth ties up her tale with a satisfying conclusion and neatly paves the way for future Sister Rose mysteries, but it's her assiduous research into the Shaker lifestyle that makes this story an extraordinary read. (Apr.)