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In Taneysville, Massachusetts, a builder is developing fifteen acres of land. The vestry of Trinity Episcopal Church, just down the hill from the construction, meet to figure out a way to stop the builder. The noise and vibrations from the machine are damaging the church. John Stark, a vestry member, goes up to confront the builder. Unfortunately this does nothing to stop them. The people in town are quite upset as none of the local tradesmen were hired for this job. They brought in a foreign crew.

Then a skeleton is found by the construction crew. This stops the machines and workmen. The police take the remains to be analyzed and will not allow them to continue. They are concerned this might be a sacred Indian burial ground. So until the skeleton is identified, no work can be done.

Mitch Hoffmeyer, a politician who grew up in Taneysville, hires P.I. Rosco Polycrates to identify the remains. He doesn't want there to be any fuel his opponent can use. Then Rosco's wife Belle, crossword editor, starts receiving anonymous crossword puzzles with hidden clues. She and Rosco start asking questions and soon find that not is all that it seems in this little town.

The author has done a great job of describing the tensions in this small town. It is all very believable and I felt like I was there. All through the book you know the unidentified older woman in the nursing home is important, but you don't know until the end why.

I like this series because it is always set in New England and the plot is always more complex than you initially think. There are twists and turns that finally bring you to the conclusion but you can't easily figure it out ahead. I always think I have it figured out and then more information is brought out and I have to start all over again.

Please read this book. It is great! The whole series is too.

Dawn Dowdle