We are celebrating the release of Turning the Tide, the third book in Edith’s Quaker Midwife Mysteries series. Here is a little bit about the book:
A suffragist is murdered in Quaker midwife Rose Carroll’s Massachusetts town
Excitement runs high during Presidential election week in 1888. The Woman Suffrage Association plans a demonstration and movement leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton comes to town to rally the troops. When Quaker midwife Rose Carroll finds the body of the group’s local organizer the next morning, she can’t help but wonder who could have committed the murder.
Rose quickly discovers several people who have motives. The victim had planned to leave her controlling husband, and a recent promotion had cost a male colleague his job. She had also recently spurned a fellow suffragist’s affections. After Rose’s own life is threatened, identifying the killer takes on a personal sense of urgency.
Riding in carriages was commonplace during the late 1800s. Wickeds, have you ever ridden in a carriage? Where was it and where did you go? If not is there one you wish you could have ridden in?
Barb: My husband and I took a lovely carriage tour of Charleston, South Carolina. It was a marvelous way to view the narrow, colonial streets, and so quiet with only the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves.
Edith: As part of my research for this series I’ve ridden in several carriages. (I wrote a blog post about it here.) My favorite ride was on carriage trails through woods and pastures in Ipswich, Massachusetts, scenery that wouldn’t have looked any different in the late 1880s. And it was bumpy! No seat belts! I wore my long full linen skirt to get the feel of climbing in and out – not easy. But the experience helped me write about it more accurately.
Sherry: I have some distant memory of a stagecoach ride as a child. My husband and I took an open carriage ride on our tenth anniversary in New Orleans. It sounded so romantic however it was in the middle of the day, it was in the 90s with a gazillion percent humidity. The sun beat down on us and we leaned away from each other on the small seat because we were so sweaty. The only good thing was my hair formed these lovely curls that I’ve never had since. Sadly, we had a similar experience (sans beautiful curls) on a later anniversary on a duck boat in Boston.
Jessie: I don’t believe I have ever ridden in a carriage. The closest thing I can think of was a pedicab ride I took with my husband one evening in Old Orchard Beach, ME. It sounds like something to add to my adventures list!
Julie: I don’t think I have ever ridden in a carriage. But I’ve always wanted to. Have you ever seen the Dancing in the Dark number from The Bandwagon? That’s my kind of carriage ride!
Readers: Have you ever take a carriage ride?
Yes,at the Amish community in Hershey Pennsylvania.
And how was it, Karen?
It was great. The whole community was. I really think I’d like to live like that. We have a lot of outbuildings made by the Amish. There,s a place in the next town that sells outbuildings of all kinds, also furniture. My kitchen and bedroom set came from there too. All made by the Amish. The quality is like nothing you see in the stores. Plus. it’s less expensive too.
Closest would be on a flatbed behind a tractor, sometimes with hay, usually playing the ukulele in a parade.
That sounds like fun, Barbara.
A LOT more fun than walking and trying to play a song from memory (there is room for a music stand when on the flatbed).
Ah yes – Central Park in NYC and a jaunting cart in Killarney, again through the Park. Yes, bouncy but I loved both. Loved the sound and the smell of the horse – the clip-clips and occasional snorting!
Awesome, Marian. See you tonight!
Edith, your descriptions of Rose Carroll’s various methods of transportation are great. She can’t just hop in her car, so her need to travel adds a layer of tension to every scene, giving her the worry of how she will get from Point A to Point B.
The only carriage ride I’ve ever had was on a trip to NYC. I’ve been there a couple dozen times, but had never had the chance to see Central Park, so I treated myself to the ride. It was really too cold to enjoy myself, but I had a great conversation with the driver.
You’ll need to go back when it’s warmer!
LOVE – LOVE – LOVE “Turning the Tide”! I can’t say enough about it other than if you haven’t read it – get a copy and read it.
I’ve never ridden in a carriage but would love to. Hoping to have that on my list the next time we go to Shipshewana, IN.
I’m delighted, Kay! I’ll have to check out Shipshewana.
Congrats, Edith! I’ve never taken a carriage ride – seeing the poor horses lined up around Central Park growing up made me feel too sorry for them to ever hop in one. I did take a sleigh ride once in Canada. Sherry, LOL re: that “romantic” NOLA ride! And Julie, I couldn’t agree more about that “Dancing in the Dark” number. I don’t see how you top that as far as carriage rides go.
I’m gong to have to look up that Dancing in the Dark bit!
The Hubby and I did a carriage tour of the French Quarter when we were in New Orleans for Bouchercon two years ago. It was lovely!
Awesome, Liz!
Ah yes, Julie, Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire!
My favorite carriage ride was with my daughter and hubby in Colonial Williamsburg. The carriages there are grand, beautifully painted, with a driver in livery. My daughter was five and deep into Cinderella. The driver understood, having driven many little girls, and he treated her like a princess. Such a lovely memory! Thanks for reminding me, Edith.
How sweet that must have been for her! I’ve never (yet) been to Williamsburg.
I have at a couple of historical site/living history type places as a kid. Didn’t make too big an impression on me. Maybe I should try it again as an adult.
Where were those, Mark? In California?
Probably. Or maybe Arizona. So they were probably more stage coaches than carriages.
My family went on a carriage ride when we visited Mackinac Island, and it was amazing. I’ve also been on a tractor-pulled haunted Halloween hayride. I’d love to do a Christmas lights carriage ride ~
That sounds great, Celia.
We rode bikes on Mackinac . . . long ago. If I went now, a carriage would be a much better choice.
We had a carriage ride in New Orleans and I remember many hayrides in Beverly MA, usually throiugh Sally Mulligan Park, and some in Salem too.
All these carriage rides in New Orleans! Wish I’d thought to take one.
I have had carriage rides here in St. Charles and in Louisville, KY, and said hello to the horses in NOLA and elsewhere. I also had a brief ride in a covered wagon in Colorado . . . much bumpier ride inspiring much respect for those who traveled that way.
I would love to try a covered wagon ride – but only a brief one.
I had carriage rides in Quebec and Savannah. We had a long covered wagon ride in Kansas that wasn’t fun. My mother was very uncomfortable. It would have been OK if it had been shorter. All those rides are bumpy. but the covered wagon had no room to move either.
OUCH!
I’ve taken the carriage ride around Cape May to see the Victorian mansions. Which was kind of a weird thing for me to do since i grew up there. I might have gone to school with the carriage driver. But it was nice. It felt very vacationy. You can learn a lot about the architecture and history of the area. And then there’s the Cape May tour guide motto: “It might not all be true, but it will be a good story.”
Ha. Fun tour guide!