The Almanack

This engrossing whodunit set in 1752 England from Bailey (An Appetite for Violets) finds thief Tabitha Hart victimized by one of her marks in London, who makes off with her money and most of her possessions. Meanwhile, Tabitha is desperate to return to her home village of Netherlea, where her widowed mother, Elizabeth, still lives, after a year away. Tabitha recently received a letter from Elizabeth asking her to come back in order to learn something troubling. But when Tabitha reaches Netherlea, she’s devastated to find her mother dead. While the local parson informs her that her mother, whose mind was considered “disordered,” drowned accidentally, Tabitha notices a head wound on the body that suggests foul play. That theory is bolstered by Elizabeth’s notes in an almanac, in which she states that she “knows who killed Towler, and why,” and that she believes she is also marked for death by a person she identifies only as D. Another death follows, which is clearly murder. Bailey makes Tabitha a plausibly resourceful sleuth as she pursues the mysteries of both killings. Historical fans are in for a treat. [em](May) [/em]