ARC Review: Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen

Death in the Details
Author: Katie Tietjen
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (April 9, 2024)

Description: Inspired by the real-life mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee, and featuring a whip-smart, intrepid sleuth in post-WWII Vermont, this debut historical mystery will appeal to fans of Victoria Thompson and Rhys Bowen.

Maple Bishop is ready to put WWII and the grief of losing her husband, Bill, behind her. But when she discovers that Bill left her penniless, Maple realizes she could lose her Vermont home next and sets out to make money the only way she knows how: by selling her intricately crafted dollhouses. Business is off to a good start—until Maple discovers her first customer dead, his body hanging precariously in his own barn.

Something about the supposed suicide rubs Maple the wrong way, but local authorities brush off her concerns. Determined to help them see “what’s big in what’s small,” Maple turns to what she knows best, painstakingly recreating the gruesome scene in miniature: death in a nutshell.

With the help of a rookie officer named Kenny, Maple uses her macabre miniature to dig into the dark undercurrents of her sleepy town, where everyone seems to have a secret—and a grudge. But when her nosy neighbor goes missing and she herself becomes a suspect, it’ll be up to Maple to find the devil in the details—and put him behind bars.

Drawing inspiration from true crime and offering readers a smartly plotted puzzle of a mystery Death in the Details is a stunning series debut.

My Thoughts: Maple Bishop is dealing with a lot of grief in this post WWII historical mystery. She lost her mother and brother and her husband leaving her alone. She also finds herself in Vermont after growing up in Boston. Things get even worse when she learns that her husband - a popular but not financially bright man - leaves her an estate of slightly less than $13 and with a monthly mortgage of just of $52 to pay. 

Maple has been educated as a lawyer but can't find a job in that field. Law jobs are going to men and returning veterans. However, Maple is skilled at making miniatures - complex doll houses on a 1 inch to 1 foot scale - and sees selling them as a way to make some money. 

Unfortunately, when she goes to deliver her first sale, she finds the buyer hanging in his barn. While the police and the medical examiner are quick to declare the death an accident, Maple who has a photographic memory sees quite a few discrepancies that lead her to think that the man's death was murder. But her painstakingly accurate miniature of the scene isn't enough to convince the paperwork-hating sheriff that a crime was committed. 

Teaming up with Kenny who is a new deputy who just happens to be the sheriff's nephew, Maple begins to look into the crime against the sheriff's orders. And when the town's biggest gossip who has had numerous arguments with Maple disappears, Maple finds herself a suspect in the kidnapping. She's convinced the two cases are related but it takes her involvement in a dangerous situation to prove it. 

I enjoyed this story. I liked the setting and time period. I especially liked Maple's determination to forge a new independent life for herself after all of her personal losses. 

Favorite Quote:

"Laws and principles of justice are meaningless if there aren't individuals who stand up and fight to uphold them day in and day out--even when others don't live up to that standard."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.