Join us for a discussion of Rob Osler's latest, The Case of the Murdered Muckraker, in conversation with Cheryl Head. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chicago, 1898. As the Windy City thaws from a harsh winter, Harriet finds herself doubting her investigative skills when she’s assigned to solve a high-stakes murder case well above her pay grade. And there’s also one catch. Harriet must somehow blend in as an “unremarkable” young woman — one who feels confident in skirts, not men’s clothing — on a quest to infiltrate the immigrant community at the center of the grisly crime...

The mystery has more twists than her morning bike commute, with a muckraker found murdered in a southside tenement building after obtaining evidence of a powerful politician’s corruption.

While Harriet gains the trust of the tenement’s women residents to gather clues, the undercover mission reveals an innocent mother might have been framed for the crime — and exposes ties to another violent death.

Harriet soon realizes she has few allies as dangers explode around her. Enlisting the help of Matthew McCabe, her only confidante at the agency, and growing more protective of her budding relationship with the lovely Barbara Wozniak, Harriet will need to survive threats to assert her place in a world that’s quick to dismiss her — and out a killer who’s always one step ahead...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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. Visit him at RobOsler.com.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Cheryl A. Head’s writing always explores themes of social justice and diversity. Her award-winning Charlie Mack Motown Mysteries, whose female PI protagonist is queer and Black, was featured last year on the game show "Jeopardy!" Head’s 2023 crime fiction novel, Time’s Undoing, was shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Hurston Wright Legacy Award, as well as the Anthony, Macavity, Agatha and Strand Critics Awards. Head was named to the Saints &; Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival Hall of Fame in 2019, and is a 2022 recipient of the Alice B. Award. She is Co-Chair of Bouchercon 2027, which will be held in Washington, DC.