It’s hard to catch a killer when the only witness is a tree.
In 1853, after Catherine Miller is murdered for daring to become a doctor in a field full of men, a molecular fusion between human decay and natural rebirth transforms her into a Northern Red Oak. One hundred and seventy years later, she remains a mute but sentient tree, rooted near a secluded Northeast Ohio house. After she watches in horror as the newest homeowner murders one of his PhD students, Catherine is resolved, somehow, to see that justice gets served.
Fortunately, present-day Catherine has an unwitting ally: Lani Whitaker, a fourth-generation detective facing mandatory retirement and sick of being treated like a dried-up relic by her young chief of police. When the body of that same PhD student turns up in the woods, Lani is determined to solve the case and go out with a win.
Two women, generations apart, linked to each other through murder. Can solving a twenty-first-century homicide shed light on a nineteenth-century killer?
Boyd, a pseudonym for author Carrie Rubin (Fatal Rounds), crafts an artful dual perspective mystery that begins in 1853, when Catherine Miller, one of the first formally trained female doctors in the United States, graduates medical school in Cleveland, Ohio. Shortly after commencement, Catherine is murdered, simply because she was bold enough to study medicine as a woman. When her body is never discovered, her murderer goes free, leaving Constable Whitaker—in charge of solving her disappearance—stymied. Following her death, Catherine is reincarnated as an oak tree, cognizant of her murder but unable to communicate with the world around her. For 170 years, she stands as a passive observer to the world’s changes, all while desperate to solve the mystery of her own death.A contemporary dual storyline follows homicide detective Lani Whitaker—who in many ways mirrors Catherine’s achievements, as she was one of the first female officers in Cleveland—while she combs through field notes left by her great-grandfather, Constable Whitaker, recounting Catherine’s unsolved disappearance. Boyd subtly connects the two women over time, hitting on the struggles they’ve both faced while fighting to be accepted in male-dominated professions against larger societal attitudes toward women, both in Catherine’s 19th century dealings and Lani’s contemporary crime solving efforts.
Boyd’s emotional language ably captures both relatable female leads, and the suspense builds as the women’s stories intertwine into a multiple mystery fallout, merging both historical and contemporary crimes alongside Catherine’s fears that her tree form is slowly dying, prompting her desperation for justice before it’s too late. Added to that mix is Mark Carver—present day owner of the land next to Catherine’s tree—and his growing cruelty, combined with dangerous secrets he’s determined to hide, with Lani hot on his trail. Amid the capers, Boyd touches on the humanity and understated power of the natural world, before delivering Catherine a respectful and satisfying ending.
Takeaway: Two barrier-breaking women fight for justice across generations.
Comparable Titles: Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
"a lyrical, inventive detective novel"
“Two remarkable heroes enliven this absorbing crime story.”
"Uniquely original and a fascinating read from cover to cover"
“Comprehensive, well-researched, and above all mesmerizing”
