Dorothy Woodworth. Death of a Winter Shaker (1997) A “winter Shaker” is a homeless person that the Shakers take in for the winter. Occasionally one of them takes the vows and joins the community, but usually they move on when warmer weather comes. One of them has been murdered. Sister Rose, Trustee of New Homage, solves the puzzle of whodunit, but not before another death, the revelation of some shameful secrets, and a riot that could have resulted in worse than a few bloodied heads. Woodworth has done her research, but her portrait of this Shaker community has something Hollywood or TV about it: she hasn’t fully imagined the effects of being brought up in such a strict yet gentle sect. The story moves well enough. A number of subplots seem intended to add depth to the characters, but none, not even Rose and Gennie, become fully realised people about whom we care. ** (2004)
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