I admired and enjoyed the first book in this series, Agony Hill, but I full on love this novel which is more focused, better paced, and just as beautifully written as the first. These books are set in 1960’s Vermont as the Vietnam war is raging (an event, I now realize, that’s part of history, though I still remember seeing scenes of that war on TV every night). While the war doesn’t have too long of a reach into tiny Bethany, Vermont, it’s still a part of general consciousness and worry as boyfriends, sons and husbands are drafted.

The main series character is Franklin Warren, a Detective from Boston who is re-starting his life in rural Vermont after a personal tragedy. The other central character, Alice, an avid gardener who was married to an intelligence agent, now does a bit of intelligence work on the side. There’s a Russian in town she’s keeping an eye on.

As the book opens, Warren is called to a reported death at a fancy hunting lodge outside of town. The victim was a man who was a recently recalled ambassador, who was apparently not familiar with hunting. He’d been found shot in the woods, but as the body has been moved and brought back to the lodge, there’s no crime scene to examine. It’s not clear whether it was some kind of hunting accident or something more sinister, but ultimately the autopsy proves it was murder.

The guests at the lodge are none too helpful, many of them high ups in business or government, and they are close mouthed about the man’s death, so headway, as far as Detective Warren is concerned, is proving difficult. Stewart Taylor, who has a gift for employing classic tropes that she then reimagines for her own purposes, in this book utilizes one of my all-time favorites: the isolated house stuck in a debilitating snowstorm.
When Warren is stuck at the lodge thanks to the snowstorm, he’s forced to stay over and there’s a second death that ramps up the tension. This book is made atmospheric by the snow, cold, and ultimately the dark: the power goes out. In another part of town, Alice is having her own adventure: she’s stopped by the home of Sylvie, who lost her husband in the last book, to take her to a poetry reading. When the two women return, the heavily pregnant Sylvie is obviously suffering from labor pains and when the snowstorm hits and the phone line goes out, Alice is pressed into service.

There’s an element of memory at play for both Warren and Alice, relating to different traumas from their own pasts that connect to the situations they are trying to resolve. This book, for me, was incredibly moving, especially the plotline concerning Alice and Sylvie. Warren’s plotline is more straight up suspenseful detective work, and despite a small suspect pool, Stewart Taylor manages to create both suspense and a heartbreaking turn at the conclusion of her novel.

I love the way she writes – I love her characters, the way she loves the place she’s writing about, and in this series (this is her third) I enjoy the unexpected context of the Vietnam war and all that went with that war in the 1960’s. Like all the best mysteries, this one was deeply felt, well set up, and ultimately surprising.

I have enjoyed all of Sarah Stewart Taylor's past mysteries, but I think she's doing something different with this series. First of all, it's a fascinating time frame for a historical series, in Vermont as the Vietnam War is beginning to heat up, with characters who are a mixture of long-term residents and imports with complicated government backstories (several people are former or current spies, the main detective has a complicated relationship with homicide investigations, etc). This story takes place mainly at a hunting lodge for wealthy out-of-towners, mostly with government connections, where a former ambassador has been shot. But there's also a looming blizzard, and shadowy danger both outside and indoors; the result is atmospheric and engaging.
This is the sequel to Agony Hill; it could work as a stand-alone, but it has a deeper resonance when you are returning to the complicated characters and seeing how they are developing. A lot happens in each book, both in terms of the deep ties to the past and the longer, larger stories that are being told (some of which began in book one, some of which haven't come to the surface yet). There seems to be so much room for characters to expand and change, and while not all those relationships are safe ones (setting aside the central murder, there is a character where every single time he appears, Alice Bellows thinks this is time he might be here to eliminate her), they all add depth. I found both the current mystery and those larger stories fascinating, and the characters are all complex and interesting. I hope there will be many more in this series.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

"In this sequel to Taylor's lyrical series debut, Agony Hill, Detective Frank Warren and his formerly CIA-connected neighbor Alice Bellows return to investigate the death of a diplomat.

It's November of 1965 and the second weekend of Vermont's regular deer season when Vermont State Police detective Franklin Warren is called out to what looks like an accidental shooting at The Ridge Club, an exclusive men's hunting and fishing club for congressmen, diplomats, judges, and titans of industry: a former ambassador has been shot while out hunting. With the war in Vietnam picking up speed on the other side of the world, Warren quickly realizes that many of the club's members are powerful men who may have ulterior motives and connections in high places.

While Warren's suspicions about the club members build, his neighbor Alice Bellows is throwing a dinner party, preparing for Thanksgiving, and worrying about her pregnant friend and fellow widow, Sylvie Weber, whose due date is coming up. When Alice's old handler and friend, Arthur Crannock, unexpectedly shows up in Bethany, Alice begins to wonder whether his presence has anything to do with the death at the hunting club.

As an early season snowstorm bears down on Bethany, knocking out power and phone lines and blocking the roads, Warren and his assistant, Trooper Pinky Goodrich, are trapped at the Ridge Club, likely along with a killer, and Alice, increasingly fearful that her past in the intelligence world is no longer in the past, will have to act fast to save Sylvie and her baby.

Sarah Stewart Taylor's historical series combines the intricacy of a satisfying mystery with keen observation of a time and place during great transformation and upheaval."

And a great snowstorm!

Hunter’s Heart Ridge is the second book in this mystery series set in the 1960s. Detective Franklin Warren is settling into the town and his job but feels he needs to prove himself.
There is a death at a prestigious hunting club so Warren needs to step carefully to find out who killed the former Ambassador. An early snow storm complicates the investigation.
The past is an integral part of the mystery both at the club and with Alice.
I enjoy the author’s writing style - seems laid back. I consider this a historical mystery- aspects of the 60s are woven into the story which I enjoy. Would definitely read more from this series.

After becoming fond of Frank Warren and Alice Bellows in Agony Hill, I was pleased to read about their continuing story. The backdrop of the secrets in each of their pasts is explained enough, but the focus is on a current suspicious death at a nearby hunting camp. Add to that an impending snowstorm, a premature birth, and plenty of red herrings. At times this reminds us of an Agatha Christie novel, with a group of people stuck together in a raging storm that takes out telephones and electricity, a murderer thought to be one of the group, mysterious gunshots, another death, and lots of whispered conversations with sinister undertones. The result is a satisfying page-turner, leaving us hoping for more but wondering how many murders can occur in one small Vermont town.

Hunter’s Heart Ridge is the second in the Warren and Bellows series and it’s an interesting sequel. It takes place approximately three months after the first book in November, 1965. There’s been a death at an exclusive hunting club; an ex-ambassador has been shot. But whether by accident or not is the question. With a snow storm arriving, the book takes a closed room turn.
I wrote in my review of the first book (Agony Hill) that I’d be curious where Taylor took Alice Bellows. She has a much bigger role in this book and we learn more about her life. But it was Jenny who truly captured my interest (and heart). A young woman looking for love and drama in her life, she finds a little more personal drama than she would have wished for.
This isn’t a fast paced book but I never felt like it dragged. It kept me guessing as to who was behind the murders. Taylor does a good job of giving the reader an excellent sense of time and place - the arguments over the Vietnam War, especially between the generations, the lack of many modern conveniences in rural Vermont. I’m also a huge fan of authors who can create a true sense of suspense without relying on OTT action. Taylor does that. “He could hear them all breathing, could feel the fear in the air. This kind of fear was dangerous. Each of them was like a cornered animal. They would do anything they had to do to survive.”
I was totally in the dark and had no clue who was responsible. And what a fabulous, well thought out ending. I can’t wait to see if there will be a third book in the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Bill Moulton has done so many rotten things to so many people that there's no shortage of suspects for his murder.

Set in the middle of the Cold War, just as Vietnam is heating up, the book's culprit could be one of the spies assembled at the hunting lodge. Or it could be one of the multitude of women he seduced.

Sarah Stewart Taylor turns up the suspense with a snowstorm that traps all the suspects in the hunting lodge and forces the detective's neighbor to deliver the baby who played a role in the first book in the series.

Warren is a winner of a leading man: vulnerable and compassionate. Can't wait for book three.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC of Hunter’s Heart Ridge and the chance to read it early.

I should begin by admitting that I was unaware that this book was the second in a series when I was provided the ARC, and I usually will only read a book once I’ve read the preceding books. However, I realized I wouldn’t have time to acquire the first book and read it before the ARC expired…so I forged ahead anyway.

The book had a number of errors that were a little frustrating, so I hope and assume it will be edited more before publishing. I am aware that ARCs typically may contain a few errors, but this one had the most I’ve encountered in an ARC.

First, I love the setting!! I’m a New Englander through and through, so I was drawn to the synopsis right away when I saw Vermont. I love Vermont! And I am no stranger to a crippling snowstorm. This book tells the story of a murder mystery at a hunting club that takes place before and during an early season snowstorm. There is also a parallel plot with some characters that are not directly involved with the main plot but were clearly prominent in the first book. Some parts of the parallel story seemed a bit superfluous but maybe that’s only because I really only wanted to follow the main story.

Next, I was eventually drawn into the story but it took a bit of time before I decided I was invested. There were some parts that dragged on a little for me. Also, I could tell there was some event that occurred in the first book that I obviously missed that affected our main character- and I do plan on reading the first book to get that back story.

I found it a little difficult to keep all of the characters straight. For the most part I was able to follow, but the writing was a little confusing at times. You definitely need to pay attention to who is who and who is saying/doing things.

I wasn’t overly convinced of Warren’s police work…but then again once he was thrown into the club unexpectedly I guess formal police work tends to become muddied at best…I don’t know.

Overall, I enjoyed the main plot and certainly wanted to find out the who/what/why of the mystery. I look forward to reading the first book, albeit out of order, to further solidify the character of Warren.

Hunter's Heart Ridge by Sarah Stewart Taylor is set in 1965 in Vermont. When Vermont State Police detective Franklin Warren is called to a dead body at an exclusive hunting club, he and his Trooper, Pinky are embroiled in trying to find a murderer. When a snowstorm blows in, they are trapped in the Club with all their suspects. In town, ex spy Alice Bellows is concerned when her old handler shows up. There is lots of action, good characters and the addition of the escalating Vietnam War added in.

This series has really grown on me. The period details feel authentic and the characters are well defined, and the story is well plotted with many threads to disentangle. A great way to spend a few hours!

Thank You St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books, and Netgalley for giving me a Reader's Advanced Copy of this book. I truly do appreciate it so much.

DNF

It's November 1965 and it's the second weekend in Vermont's deer hunting season. Vermont State Police Detective Franklin Warren is hunting in the woods when he gets a call that he needs to return to Bethany. There has been an accident at The Ridge Club. This is a exclusive hunting and fishing club for congressmen, diplomats, judges and titans of former ambassador has been shot while out hunting. The Vietnam war is picking up speed on the other side of the world. Warren quickly realizes how powerful these men are.

Warren's suspensions are on the congressmen. During this season a snowstorm bears down on this town. Knocking out the power lines, the phone lines, and blocking the road. Warren and his assistant Trooper Pinky Goodrich are trapped in the Ridge Club together, along with the killer...

When I got to the 20% mark of this book I honestly did not care who the killer in this book was. There was nothing in this story that was really gripping me and making me want to read it. There needs to be a hook or something to grip into wanting to read the story and for me there just wasn't. Franklin didn't seem like he wanted to do this job or solve the mystery. I also felt like we should have been more focused on the mystery storyline, rather than Alice's storyline, it felt like it had nothing to do with the story and was just there as a extra cushion.

I will say that the cover of this book is stunning and beautiful. I love the colours and the mountains in the background. This book wasn't for me, but it might be for you so give it a try and see if you like it. Release Date is August 5th, 2025.

Happy Reading!!!!

In the second entry in Sarah Stewart Taylor's Bethany, Vermont Mysteries, Hunter's Heart Ridge, police detective Franklin Warren is called in when a death at an upscale hunting lodge looks like murder. The victim is a former ambassador who has recently been relieved of his position, and the cause of death turns out to be just as much a mystery as the "whodunit." Of course, there is no dearth of suspects, including a variety of guests at the lodge and some of its employees. Franklin's neighbor Alice, who still has connections to her CIA past, also wonders whether a colleague who has just return to town has anything to do it. A massive snowstorm complicates everything, especially since it appears that no one can leave the area until the snow stops. At the same time, Alice is trying to help another neighbor, a widow with three boys who is about to have another baby during the storm.

Warren is a character from the first in the series, Agony Hill, along with his assistant, Pinky, and Alice was also featured in the first book. While Stewart is undeniably an expert storyteller, and while I was fascinated by the depiction of 1960s rural Vermont and the fear of a Vietnam War, I didn't find myself any closer to engaging with the main characters. Some of the supporting characters had more depth, and it was a pleasure to see them come to life. But I'm hoping the author will flesh out the protagonists more in future series entries, as she did with her excellent Maggie d'Arcy series.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

This slow burn mystery wiggled its way into my brain, until I was unable to put it down. Reading faster and faster as the pages turn into a flurry of snow. Trooper Frank Warren is back! He is settled into his cozy home in Bethany, Vermont and has taken to the slower pace of life. The crisp cold air is pregnant with snow and deer season has begun. Dots of green and red buffalo flannel can be seen from the woods. The town is hopping with visitor's impatient to get out in the woods and to find the majestic buck.

When the office gets a call that a man is dead at The Ridge Club, Pinky and Warren get up to speed about the club. The people who are a part of The Ridge Club are well-known movers and shakers in the government. What could have possibly happened? As an early snowstorm blankets the area leaving the group and the two troopers stranded at the club. This turns into a locked room mystery that immediately held my attention. I could not put it down. There are so many suspects. Witnesses that are lying. Warren feels it deep in his bones. There are so many ties to within the group for so many reasons. I had a blast untangling the knot to find the truth.

From the halfway point on this book was glued to my hand. I needed to know what happened and the why made my mouth drop! I do wish I had kept a list of all the characters to keep them straight. I loved that my favorite characters from the first book made an appearance. I could not do without Alice or Sylvie. I was transported back to 1965, Vermont. Two years before my dad graduated. The book is set loosely where I live, and you know I cannot get enough of that. Thank you to Sarah Stewart Taylor and Minotaur Press for my gifted copy.

The second in the series and I would recommend it! We get another mystery for Warren to solve, along with getting a little more backstory for Alice! An enjoyable read!

This is the second book in this series set in rural. Vermont but the first I have read. I did not feel lost at all despite not having read the first and was able to enjoy the well- constructed mystery. Detective Warren is faced with the potentially politically tinged murder of a former ambassador at a hunting club, and a winter storm adds to the drama. The 1960s setting is very well done, adding to the plot without being a distraction. As always with this author, whose Maggie D’Arcy series I highly recommend, the book is well-written and the characters well-developed. The character Alice, who slowly reveals some of her background, is particularly compelling. I look forward to the next book in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

I loved Agony Hill so I was excited to read this new book. The setting in Vermont and in the 1960s is so fascinating. that alone would have me giving this book a high rating, but then there's the story line which has so many twists and turns. I can't imagine how a writer accomplishes this so well. I felt like I was there in the lodge when the power went out. And it is fun learning more about Alice's past. All in all, what I can say is that I can't wait for another book in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I enjoyed it more than anything I've read lately.

This is a page turner. It is almost two stories in one. There is a locked room mystery and a subplot about WWII spies. I did not figure out who did it and that’s always fun for me

I have enjoyed any book by @sarahstewarttaylor, and #huntersheartridge is no exception. terrific characters, multiple narrators (Alice, Jenny) and plot lines and judging from comments regarding the first in this series, #agonyhill, another complicated case that gives our Detective Warren conflicting feelings. I appreciated his internal struggle, his doubts about his abilities, and the way he manages to suss out the villain just in time. Looking forward to reading #agony hill and future entries in this series. Well done and highly recommend.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

I very much enjoyed this sequel to Agony Hill. State Police Detective Franklin Warren is settling in to life in Bethany, Vermont and gets called out to a death scene at a nearby hunting camp. Nothing is as it seems and a sudden snowstorm traps him at the lodge with the suspects. Meanwhile, his neighbor Alice is visiting with the farm family who we met in Agony Hill when the widow goes into labor. The storm has them stranded too and has taken down the phone lines. So, both main characters have to fight the elements to solve their problems. The writing and plot lines are superb and I find myself wishing the next volume of this series was already written! NetGalley provided me with an ARC but the opinion is my own.

I enjoyed the first book in the series and was happy to get an ARC of this new release. Much of what I liked about the first book carries through into this second book -- the atmosphere of rural 1960's Vermont is strongly felt through the descriptions of current events and the interactions of the characters in a small tight-knit town. This book feels a bit different from the first, however, in that the plot quickly devolves into two separate story lines happening simultaneously (during a early season snow storm). Given that some of the main characters are physically separated for a large part of the book you miss the interactions between them. One plot line is the primary and the other definitely more secondary, but both have their own drama and tension and keep you turning the page. Everything comes back together in the end, but the two story lines really do work autonomously for the most part. There's also a few bits of the plot that are not crucial to this story, but the author is likely setting the stage for subsequent novels in the series.

As the main mystery goes -- it's a complex whodunnit set in a moody hunting lodge on a rural estate. Is the dead man a victim of a hunting accident or something more nefarious? There's a lot of characters in the hunting lodge and the local detective is determined to figure out what really happened. I have to say, I'm not completely sold on the conclusion -- I had my theories of course (all were wrong) -- but some of the action in the climax of the book just didn't seem to be true to the characters. What do I know -- I enjoyed reading it nonetheless!

If you like a good page-turning historical murder mystery, this one is great to pick up. It can be read stand alone, but I think would be enhanced if you knew the characters from the first book.