The Case of the Missing Maid

Praise for The Case of the Missing Maid

“Excellent historical series launch…As the intrepid, bike-riding lady detective plunges into Chicago’s seedy gay clubs and criminal hangouts, Osler doles out well-placed clues that set the table for a knockout conclusion. With lush historical detail, optimistic but plausible gender politics, and an unforgettable heroine, this series is primed for success.” —Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“Osler has created a likable heroine, a good mystery, and a solid LGBTQIA+ fiction entry.” —Library Journal

“Osler puts a queer 19th-century spin on a familiar tough-gal type.” —Kirkus Reviews

“With his usual sensitivity and humor, Rob Osler has written a mystery with a lively pace, a fresh and engaging heroine, and finely tuned historical awareness. This book utterly charms. A thoroughly entertaining read!” —Karen Odden, Agatha, Lefty, and Anthony Award nominee and USA Today bestselling author of the Inspector Corrovan Mysteries

“Sharp, witty, and exuberant, The Case of the Missing Maid rattles along like Harriet Morrow’s trusty bicycle on the cobbles of 1890s Chicago, as she tackles her first job for the Prescott Detective Agency. With Osler’s trademark knockabout action scenes and some fascinating side lights on Queer history and the birth of the progressive era, this novel is an absolute treat.” —Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of In Place of Fear and the Dandy Gilver Mysteries

“Harriet Morrow is an unusual heroine in an interesting era, Chicago of the 1890s. Working her first case as the first female detective with the Prescott Detective Agency, she peddles her trusty bicycle through one scrape after another, confronting prejudice, physical dangers, and her own secrets and doubts. Rob Osler brings vivid detail to Chicago’s Polish neighborhoods and its gay and lesbian underground. Like me, you’ll be rooting for Harriet from the first page to the last.” —Allison Montclair, author of the Sparks and Bainbridge mysteries

“In The Case of the Missing Maid, stalwart Harriet Morrow is the first woman detective at The Prescott Agency in 1890s Chicago, ready to pry at secrets even while living with a few of her own. Given one chance to prove herself, Harriet sets out in search of a servant missing from a grand household—but what she might uncover is a fulfilled queer life, free to discover joy, friendship, love, and her own true potential.” —Lori Rader-Day, award-winning author of Death at Greenway

“A delightful and progressive progressive-era mystery, filled to the brim with character and excitement. Colorful, clever and fantastically queer.” —Lev AC Rosen, award winning author of Lavender House

“A complete delight. A vivid portrait of 1890s Chicago in all its zest and cruelty with a wonderfully relatable heroine. Rob Osler skillfully weaves the fate of lovely Polish maid Agnes Wozniak with the story of the Prescott Agency’s first female detective coming into her own. I demand more Harriet Morrow this instant!” —Mariah Fredericks, author of The Wharton Plot

Rob Osler writes mysteries with LGBTQ+ main characters. Rob’s debut novel, Devil’s Chew Toy, was a finalist for the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty, and Macavity Awards. His first publication, “Analogue,” won the Robert L. Fish Award at the Mystery Writers of America Annual Edgar Awards, and he is an Edgar-Award finalist for his short story Miss Direction. He has a philosophy degree from the University of Puget Sound and an MBA from the University of Washington, and previously worked as a brand marketing executive for global agencies and corporations. After living in Chicago and Seattle, Rob resides in California with his long-time partner and a tall grey cat.

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