Book Club “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”
For our August book club, we selected Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower. We’re big fans of Amanda Flower (her book Farm to Trouble topped our Favorite Reads List of 2022) and we were excited to read the first book in this Emily Dickinson Mystery Series. We had been looking for a period-piece mystery to read for the club and thought we couldn’t go wrong with this one that won an Agatha Award for “Best Historical Novel.”
Book
Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower
An Emily Dickinson Mystery
Description:
January 1855 Willa Noble knew it was bad luck when it was pouring rain on the day of her ever-important job interview at the Dickinson home in Amherst, Massachusetts. When she arrived late, disheveled with her skirts sodden and filthy, she’d lost all hope of being hired for the position. As the housekeeper politely told her they’d be in touch, Willa started toward the door of the stately home only to be called back by the soft but strong voice of Emily Dickinson. What begins as tenuous employment turns to friendship as the reclusive poet takes Willa under her wing.
Tragedy soon strikes and Willa’s beloved brother, Henry, is killed in a tragic accident at the town stables. With no other family and nowhere else to turn, Willa tells Emily about her brother’s death and why she believes it was no accident. Willa is convinced it was murder. Henry had been very secretive of late, only hinting to Willa that he’d found a way to earn money to take care of them both. Viewing it first as a puzzle to piece together, Emily offers to help, only to realize that she and Willa are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse that reveals corruption in Amherst that is generations deep. Some very high-powered people will stop at nothing to keep their profitable secrets even if that means forever silencing Willa and her new mistress….
Club
Snack suggestions:
Ice cream was the one treat mentioned in the book that we had to make sure was featured as part of our themed book club snacks. We had metropolitan to choose from (so the strawberry and chocolate in the book would be represented) but also had some modern-day toppings to add. It was fun to let everyone create their perfect sundae.
While we couldn’t set up the same exquisite tea room as described in the story, we did have an assortment of teas to choose from for beverages.
Since we were meeting around dinner time, we also served chicken and potatoes as a rustic meal that seemed fitting.
If inspired, research more meals served in the mid 1800s or check out The Emily Dickinson Cookbook: Recipes from Emily's Table Alongside the Poems That Inspire Them by Arlyne Osborne.
Any rustic meal can feel like it fits the time period.
Have classic cones like in the story or set up a sundae bar for your book club to enjoy. Just make sure to have strawberry as an option!
Check out Cozy Crimes’ book club questions that can be used for any mystery.
Here are our questions targeted to Because I Could Not Stop for Death:
1. How much did you know about Emily Dickinson before reading this book? How did this compare with Emily Dickinson as a character?
2. How did the historical time period affect the characters lives and the way they could investigate the case?
3. Do you like historical mysteries?
4. Animals such as Carlo and Terror were important characters in this story. How did you like they way they were presented? How does this compare to animals in other cozies?
5. Willa had complicated relationships with several characters. Which did you find the most interesting?
6. What did you think of the mystery (the mode of the murder, the motive behind it, and how it was solved)?
7. How did Emily Dickinson’s poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death relate to this story?
8. How do you feel about the way slavery and the Underground Railroad was presented in the book?
9. What did you think about the romantic subplot of the book and how the characters viewed love and marriage?
10. Have you read other books by this author?
