Crimson Snow: A Hilda Johansson Mystery

In the fifth installment of Agatha winner Dams's beloved cozy series set in early 20th-century Indiana, Hilda Johansson, head housemaid for a wealthy family and part-time sleuth, looks into the brutal murder of a popular 22-year-old schoolteacher, Sophie Jacobs. Hilda quickly discovers that other young women have gone missing, including Miss Jacobs's best friend, Miss Lewis, who recently left town, supposedly to go to her parents' house to recuperate from an illness, but the word on the street is that she was pregnant. A hotel maid named Nellie, who might just know something, has also vanished without a trace. Based on a real, unsolved case from 1904, the novel seamlessly integrates historical details with a suspenseful plot. Fans will welcome the latest developments in Hilda's relationship with her beau, fireman Patrick Cavanaugh. Agent, Kimberly Cameron at the Reece Halsey North Agency. (Sept.)