For fans of Kate Winkler Dawson and true crime podcasts, this was an easy read about an old case full of historical court procedures and old ways of approaching things like autopsies and evidence of murder.
Taking place in the late 1800s in New Zealand, a man suspiciously dies on a farm while his pregnant wife is away and he has been looked after by a neighbor for weeks while he becomes more and more ill. Is there an affair happening? Does the neighbor have something to do with it? Is it suicide or murder? Or nothing nefarious at all? The book explores the case with lots of accurate references and court room proceedings. There is also genealogical exploration to see where the remnants of the family are today, and if they still dwell on this widely known case from the past. It’s a tad repetitive at some parts but it is a quick read about a historical true crime case, and if that’s something you’re in to, then it’s worth the read!

This is a well-written true-crime novel. There’s not much of a mystery—the case was pretty straightforward, and the trial was swift. A good portion of the novel is spent on the author’s attempts to track down what happened to the victim’s family members after his death.

Thank, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.