by Jane Langton
First published 1982
The annual Paul Revere ride celebration in Concord, Massachusetts should be a simple historical pageant. Instead, it becomes the scene of a killing that shatters the town's quiet atmosphere. Homer Kelly finds himself pulled into the investigation as Concord transforms from a sleepy community into a place where neighbors eye each other with suspicion. The detective must navigate the complex web of relationships in this small New England town, where everyone knows everyone else's business but secrets still lurk beneath the surface. Kelly works to separate truth from deception as he pursues a killer who has used a beloved local tradition as cover for murder. The case forces him to examine not just the crime itself but the tensions that simmer within what appears to be an idyllic community.
Genres: american-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, small-town
Setting: Concord, Massachusetts
Period: 20th-century
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