When a talented student asks her to endorse his controversial thesis on race and language, linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau cautiously agrees to take up the cause—so long as no one at their small New England college finds out about the romantic bonds they've formed. But just days later she discovers the student's been murdered following an acrimonious meeting with the department chair, and Lauren's concerns go from academic to criminal as she's thrust into a search for the killer. A determined Quaker with an ear for accents, Lauren won't be deterred by the escalating danger surrounding her, and she's soon confronted with alarming small-town bigotry, academic blackmail, and a trail of clues that all lead to a community center for underserved youth. And when her investigation reveals a web of shadowy connections deeply entrenched in her small community, she uncovers a motive and a murderer far more menacing than she had ever imagined . . . "Entertaining, innovative and suspenseful . . . just the ticket for those relishing a contemporary puzzler." —Julia Spencer-Fleming, bestselling author of "[Maxwell] combines convincing, diverse characters, a vividly described setting, and a plot that picks up speed until it reaches a surprisingly intense confrontation." —Sheila Connolly, bestselling author of the Orchard Mysteries, the Museum Mysteries, and the County Cork Mysteries "Clever, compelling and terrifically smart . . ." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha-, Anthony-, and Macavity-winning author of