Because I Could Not Stop for Death

For Willa Noble, a single woman in antebellum Massachusetts, opportunities are scarce, and the need to support her capricious brother does not help matters. When she is hired as maid to the prestigious Dickinson family, she feels her life might finally take on some stability. How could she know that the brother who so vexed her would soon turn up dead, and that she would embark on an amateur investigation into the suspicious circumstances? Aided by her employer’s daughter, poet Emily Dickinson, Willa uncovers deception and danger at every turn. Flower (“Amish Candy Shop” mysteries) delivers the first installment of her “Emily Dickinson” mystery series. With Dickinson in the cast, it is no surprise that the tone is more dark than cozy, but Flower still brings her signature character-driven, creative story line, and her attention to historical detail enhances the atmosphere. Narrator Barrie Kreinik offers a range of emotions and accents that is entertaining, but the grim plot and deliberate pace results in a listening experience that lacks excitement.