Author and librarian Eleanor Kuhns discusses her first novel, A Simple Murder, which was a Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner. The mystery takes place in 1795 New England where the United Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, or Shakers, as they were commonly called, were starting to congregate in intentional religious communities. Itinerant weaver, William Rees, visits a Shaker community just when the body of a young sister is discovered. An early murder suspect himself, Rees turns detective and his investigation allows Kuhns to give an insight into the ways of this historic group known mainly to us now for their celibate life and their well-crafted furniture.

From Kirkus Reviews - "Kuhns' focus on a closed community allows her to keep her story from drowning in detail while emphasizing both the limitations and the charms of the Shakers' vanished world."

Publishers Weekly states, "Rees forms an appealing bond with sleuthing sidekick Lydia Jane Farrell, a former Shaker living near the settlement. Their unresolved relationship will fuel reader hopes for a sequel."