Half a Mind to Murder — Paula Paul

When the old country doctor of Newton-Upon-Sea passed away, he left only his daughter, Alexandra, with the secrets of his trade. Now, the village depends on its lady-doctor Gladstone for its births, deaths, and all the inconveniences in-between...

After a mysterious illness claims three lives, Alexandra is relieved when her medicines cure a fourth patient inflicted with the same infectious carbuncles. But before she can determine whether the malady is becoming epidemic, her surviving patient is found murdered with his heart missing.

The citizens of the seaside community are quick to pin the blame on Lucas Pendennis, a local simpleton whose odd behavior arouses suspicion--a suspicion that seems justified when Lucas is discovered with the heart of the dead man in his possession. After examining the corpse, Alexandra realizes that the removal of the heart was achieved with surgical precision -- making Lucas the least likely candidate as a murderer and suggesting that the real killer is still at large...