Killingly is loosely based on the true story of a student’s disappearance from Mount Holyoke College in 1847.
Bertha Mallish has vanished, but the readers realize that her best friend Agnes Sullivan seems to know something about it. The river has been dragged, but no trace of Bertha can be found.
Bertha and Agnes are the campus misfits. They are hard workers who don’t socialize and are from poor families. However, the last few months they have become very close.
Dr. Hammond, who had been courting Bertha, has arrived at the college with Reverend Mallish, Bertha’s elderly grandfather, and Florence, her much older sister. Florence and Agnes don’t like Dr. Hammond, who quickly develops an obsession about the case, hires a private detective, and behaves as though he’s in charge of the investigation. He becomes suspicious of Agnes.
Beutner is very skillful in how she slowly unfolds the story and reveals what happened to Bertha. She draws you in to a story that is sometimes affecting, sometimes suspenseful. The novel is involving, and I look forward to reading more by Beutner.
whatmeread 
Sounds intriguing! I haven’t heard of the author before – is it a debut?
Apparently she also wrote something called Alcestis, but this one is the first novel I’ve heard about by her.
I’ve never heard of Alcestis either – she must be flying under the radar!
I think so.
Thanks for sharing your review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!