The Red, White, and Blue Murder

It's September 1901. The country is reeling from the news that President McKinley has been shot. But of even more concern to maid Hilda Johansson is the fact that the assassin had passed through South Bend, Indiana within the last few weeks. Had he met with any of her friends? But when two bodies are found, one covered with an American flag, things really heat up in town. Is this the work of anarchists out to destroy America? Or are immigrants being unfairly blamed? Add to that the secret the workers at the Studebaker plant are hiding, and Hilda has her hands full.This book is a fascinating mixture of fact and fiction. I was drawn into the time and place completely while reading. I enjoyed the Hilda character, an independent woman struggling to live in her time and social place. The story itself was very good. With several different things going on at once, it was hard to know for sure what was happening and who to believe. And, while I did guess the solution, I completely overlooked the clues that pointed to the ending. My only complaint is that the author's note really belongs at the back of the book.This was my introduction to the Hilda Johansson character. I'm hooked on this fun mix of fact and mystery and will be looking for the others in the series.

This mystery is set in South Bend, Indiana, at the home of the Studebaker family. The protagonist is Hilda Johnsson, an immigrant maid with intelligence and ambition. This is a refreshing change. To go by the previous novels I have read, all people living at the turn of the century were millionaires. It's great to read a book from a working person's point of view. The mystery is very good and the author paints a vivid picture of the life of the serving class.

Five years ago, Mr. Studebaker went to Sweden to recruit workers for his American factory. Among those to immigrate was Hilda Johansson, who accepted a position as a maid. Her job allows Hilda to observe first hand how society treats foreigners. Though she is well aware of the social inequities in America, Hilda does not believe the anarchists are right in their efforts to destroy the current system.When an anarchist assassinates President McKinley, Hilda and others fear the madness that could grip the working class. Soon a friend of Studebaker and a worker are found dead wrapped inside an American flag. Hilda decides to investigate the deaths especially since she was so successful in solving a homicide last year (see DEATH IN LACQUER RED). She has the added impetus to prove that her friend's brother is not part of the anarchist conspiracy that killed the President. Hilda also worries about her sibling who seems to be hiding something from her. With so much on her mind, Hilda does not realize that her inquiries are leading her to something very dangerous.RED, WHITE, AND BLUE MURDER will appeal to fans of amateur sleuth mysteries as well as historical fiction buffs. The thought-provoking tale provides insight into the first few years of the twentieth century as the audience will feel the immigrant experience. Jeanne M. Dams brilliantly weaves the class structure and its impact on behavior inside the who-done-it. With a well executed mystery combined with the atmosphere surrounding the murder of the first twentieth century President, readers have another triumph in one of the better historical mystery series being written today.Harriet Klausner