The Case of the Missing Maid

Harriet Morrow Investigates #1

by Rob Osler

Chicago, 1898. Harriet Morrow is a new junior detective on the scene in the Windy City—and she’s defying every convention of her time. But can she maintain composure when her first case proves more scandalous than a woman trading skirts for trousers? Rough-around-the-edges Harriet Morrow has long been drawn to the idea of whizzing around the city on her bicycle as a professional detective, solving crimes for a living without having to take a husband. Just twenty-one with a younger brother to support, she seizes the chance when the prestigious Prescott Agency hires her as its first woman operative. The move sparks controversy—with skeptical male colleagues, a high-strung office secretary, and her boss, Mr. Theodore Prescott, all waiting for her to unravel under the pressure . . . Only an hour into the job, Harriet has an Discover the whereabouts of a missing maid from one of the most extravagant mansions on Prairie Avenue. Owner Pearl Bartlett has a reputation for sending operatives on wild goose chases around her grand estate, but Harriet believes the stunningly beautiful Agnes Wozniak has indeed vanished under mysterious circumstances—possibly a victim of kidnapping, possibly a victim of something worse . . . With Mr. Prescott pushing a hard deadline, Harriet’s burgeoning career depends on working through a labyrinth of eccentric characters and murky motives in a race to discover who made Agnes disappear. When her search leads to Chicago’s Polish community and a new friendship in Agnes’s charming older sister, Barbara, clues scattered across the city slowly reveal just how much depends on Harriet’s inexperienced investigation for answers . . . and the deep danger that awaits once she learns the truth.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, LGBT, Historical Mystery

320 pages, Hardcover

Published December 24, 2024

About the author

Rob Osler is the USA Today Bestselling author of THE CASE OF THE MISSING MAID, book one in the new historical Harriet Morrow Investigates series. Praise for the novel: a Publisher's Weekly STARRED REVIEW, a New York Times "Standout Historical Release," The Washington Post's "Best Novels to Cozy Up With," a Historical Novel Society Editor's Choice, and an Amazon Editor's Pick.

CIRQUE DU SLAY, the follow-up to acclaimed DEVIL'S CHEW TOY is the 2025 Winner of the Anthony and Left Coast Crime Awards for Best Humorous Novel.

Rob's short story, MISS DIRECTION (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sept/Oct 2023), was a finalist for the 2024 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award, and his short story, ANALOGUE (also EQMM), won the Mystery Writers of America 2022 Robert L Fish Award.

Rob is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Queer Crime Writers. He is a graduate in philosophy from the University of Puget Sound and earned a master's degree in business from the University of Washington's Foster School.
After many years living in Chicago and Seattle, he resides in California with his husband and a tall, gray cat. Discover more at robosler dot com

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical mystery was intriguing and informative. I felt like I was transported back to 1898 Chicago. This first installment of the Harriet Morrow series has a constant thread of suspense. The main character, Harriet Morrow is compelling and very original. The plot is perfectly paced and engaging. This is a great beginning of a new series. The narration brought the story to life adding a layer of mystery. Thank you, NetGalley and Tantor Audio for my audiobook.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

The central character in The Case of the Missing Maid is Harriet Morrow—who I'm hoping will stick around to become the central character in a series. She's a twenty-one-year-old lesbian (though I'm not sure she even knows this word) living in 1898 Chicago, struggling to raise her younger brother and desperate to move on to a more interesting career than the one she's been stuck in: being a numbers cruncher (a *woman* numbers cruncher, so don't get any ideas about respect, recognition of intelligence, or a living wage).

So when Harriet sees an ad for a a junior investigator with the Pescott Investigative Agency, she decides to apply. And, she gets the position, at least for a probationary period. Aside from Mr. Prescott himself, almost no one is glad to see her arrive as the first woman to work for the agency in anything other than a secretarial position. When she arrives at her first day of work (an hour before Mr. Prescott) both the receptionist and Prescott's personal secretary refuse to believe she's been employed by Prescott and both try to give her "the bum's rush" before he can make it in to the office. Once he verifies that, yes, she is the new investigator-trainee, she's shuffled off to a desk in a corner of the room housing the secretarial pool—unlike all the male investigators who have small, unattractive, but personal, offices.

The first investigation Prescott gives her is uninspiring, to say the least. Prescott's next-door-neighbor, a well-off widow insists that her maid has disappeared without explanation. Prescott's wife is fond of the old dear, so to please the Mrs., he's sending Harriet to hear what Pearl Bartlett, the neighbor, has to say. This despite the fact that he's already assignment another investigator to investigate two "thefts" from Pearl's home, which turn out to be not thefts, but an old woman's failure to remember where she's put things. He also assigns Harriet another investigator as a mentor, a man who seems even more hostile to her than most of the male hierarchy and who's the man who investigated those two non-thefts.

Pearl first mistakes Harriet for a man, as she dresses in the expected skirt, but pairs that with a man's shirt, tie, bowler, and shoes. Pearl sees not Harriet, but Harry—and Harry (let's stick with that name since she likes it) is quickly convinced that the maid has disappeared and may be at genuine risk.

Harry's investigation takes her into Chicago's Polish immigrant community, and to one of the city's few gay bars. Harriet begins to see a world she might fit into that she hadn't realized exists. Each of these communities is hidden in its own way because their members are beneath notice to most of the city.

I'm waiting to see how Harry develops as a character. She has a great deal of potential, and I can't think of any equivalent investigators in historical mysteries set in the city in those years. If you enjoy historical mysteries and/or novels with queer central characters, track down a copy of the Case of the Missing Maid. Get to know Harry now, so you can enjoy her on future adventures without playing catch-up.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilded Age mystery

Chicago 1898.
Pinkerton had appointed a woman operative decades ago.
Harriet Morrow has always been encouraged to be herself. She knows about Pinkerton but she doesn’t hold her breath when she decides to apply to a detective agency for a job. She’s stunned when finds out she’s been accepted.
Not that that shows up in her workplace. On her first day neither the receptionist or the secretaries will believe that she’s a new operative. Quite a circus!
Only when verified by Mr Prescott, the agency owner do they evince a modicum of belief. But then she’s given a desk in the secretaries’ room? Still Harriet wasn’t going to let that deter her.
Harriet fast becomes a bike riding, gun toting, bowler hat and men’s shoes wearing investigator (practical!), as she tracks down a maid that’s disappeared from the residence of a neighbor of Mr. Prescott’s.
The other operatives and the police believe the maid’s left.
Harriet’s convinced there’s been foul play.
I really enjoyed Harriet (Harry) as she discovers her calling, new friends and herself!
Hopefully more episodes will follow.

A Kensington ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, there were things to like and to dislike about this book. I love the setting, Chicago in 1898. I like that Harriet Morrow has just been hired as the first woman operative at a detective agency. I like that she is a lesbian before there were choices besides a "Boston marriage." I even wanted to find out how and why Agnes, the maid, went missing, which is why I kept going with this. However, the writing and characterization, and especially the dialogue, were clunky throughout and it became harder and harder to ignore it. Harriet tends to make these wordy proclamations to the people around her, using complex sentences and far too many lengthy words. And the narrative tends to point out obvious things and dwell too much on unimportant details. The minute I found out how and why Agnes was missing I skipped to the end. I would not read another by this author.

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot! I enjoyed the writing style from the first page and the attention to detail was very well done. I could tell that there was some serious work put into this novel, and that was confirmed when I saw the long list of references that the author used at the end of the novel. I love seeing this kind of research and attention to detail, and providing references for interested readers was a nice touch. This was well rounded and I had a great time reading it.

I liked the mystery and thought that it was well done, which is obviously a HUGE detail considering this was a mystery. I find that mysteries can be hit or miss depending on how the author handles things, and this one was a success. The mystery was *possible* to solve on your own (before the big reveal) which I think is an important detail. It wasn’t the most brilliant mystery/reveal ever but it was satisfying.

I loved the characters, particularly the protagonist. They were well developed and had a clear voice. The interpersonal dynamics within the office and with the other characters was well done; frustrating in a realistic way that seemed genuine to the time period for a woman trying to work in a mans world.

This definitely read like a “first novel” in a series. There was a lot set up and introduced that didn’t get a chance to go very far, but that makes sense if this is an ongoing series. The main events of this novel were resolved while still leaving open a lot of loose ends to flow into the next book. In some ways it was frustrating; there were plotlines that didn’t really go anywhere that I wanted to see more of, but I suppose that just means I need to keep reading!

As a random note: this book took me forever to read. I don’t know why, but it was like 4X as long as most books with this page count. I’m not holding it against the novel, but I thought it was noteworthy. It didn’t feel like I was reading slowly or struggling, but it somehow took a long time. Strange!

[Star · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, riveting mystery!
I'll be back soon with thoughts.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler is a delightful start to a new series. It's 1898 in Chicago, and 21 year old Harriet Morrow needs to find a way to support herself and her 16 y.o. brother after the deaths of their parents. She's hired as the first "lady operative" in a detective agency and assigned a nuisance case, interviewing the owner's neighbor in what no one thinks is a serious matter. Ah, but it is, and Harriet is quickly plunged into mysteries and secrets within Chicago's Polish community, its queer community, and the agency itself. So interesting to learn more about them all, wrapped inside a mystery with an unpredictable resolution that makes perfect sense.

[BellaDonna's Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as a giveaway but you can bet I will be watching Rob Osler like a hawk for more stories!

This was an amazing beginning to what could be my favorite detective series if the author decides to continue with more Harriet Morrow investigations! I loved this story so much. From the beginning I was sucked in with the style of writing, as well as the character of Harriet herself. I need more of her and I need to know if the love story that is brewing happens. This story was fantastic and the twists and turns had me screaming. I didn't know I needed this in my life, but I did and now I need more.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been a good mystery, but by chapter 6 there was so much "I am a MAN but I am also a FEMINIST and my main character is QUEER as well as a LESBIAN and she is NOT LIKE OTHER WOMEN," that I just called it a day.
For instance: "Harriet took in the surroundings, which looked and sounded eerily similar to her previous bookkeeping job. The petite, pretty women clacked away at typewriters or scribbled into ledgers with the practiced efficiency of marching cavalry. Their day's work would never take them beyond this room or offer them more challenging tasks. Their roles were defined by men with no consideration of a woman's particular aptitude or ambition."

Add this to the fact that it's the women of the office (described as tiny, pretty, and "self-important based not on her own authority but rather on her proximity to it") who are the most offended by Harriet NOT being a secretary. Also, one of the women "carried an excess of two dozen pounds" - so being 25 pounds overweight is a reason to dislike her? Really?

I liked Harriet as a character. She could have been written as different without putting down the more traditional women of the time. We rise by lifting others, Mr. Osler.

[Kappie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the premise, the main detective, the other characters. What I did not appreciate was being hit over the head the second, third, fourth, and fifth time with the same information. Authors, please! Ffs, trust your readers.

[Kasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I found this on Libby and hadn't heard of it. I love a mystery, this woman rides a bike, solves mysteries, doesn't take any GUFF, wears MENS CLOTHES, and is a LESBIAN in the late 1880's?!?! I thought she was charming, the story was fun, although the mystery was an EASY SOLVE -- I still enjoyed the characters and relationships!

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't mind the story, and the characters were likable, but it lacks a certain something. There's a stiffness to the narration. I might try the next book in the series.

[Laura Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good mystery, with a main character that was fun to read about! I will certainly continue with the series.

[Barbara Mates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob Osler has created a fully fleshed out and throughly delightful character , Harriet Morrow in the series debut The Case of the Missing Maid, aHarriet Morrow investigates. In this work we are privy to seeing the struggles of a woman trying to fit into and be accepted in an occupation dominated by men, while accepting herself as being a lesbian. Osler's work is meticulously researched and topics addressed with sensitivity and acknowledgement of time and place. The mystery itself is a good one.I look forward to meeting Harriet, her brother as well as her boss and co-workers soon.

[Leane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming female CH, authentic historical 1898 Chicago Setting, Procedural detail, and welcoming and alternating suspenseful Tone keep the pages turning in this new mystery by Osler. Harriet is a 21-year-old who is her 17-year-old brother Aubrey’s guardian and also the first woman hired by the Prescott Agency on a trial basis to be a Private Investigator so she immediately deals with the male low expectations and assumptions, as well as the disapproval from the agency’s female secretaries. The agency founder, Mr. Prescott, assigns Harriet a case of his eccentric neighbor’s missing maid—assumed to just be a case of her leaving without notice by the male agents but Harriet finds evidence she has been abducted and dives deeply into her employer’s home and its visitors, Agnes, the maid’s Polish family, and other people that lead us on a bicycle tour of Polish town and other areas in Chicago. Harriet finds an ally in one junior agent and hostility from the one she is supposed to work under. She unravels a real doozy as the Plotting is lively, with some nifty twists, sometimes based on her inexperience, and an excellent unwinding of Harriet’s CH, as well as secondary CHs, especially Aubrey and McCabe, her ally, as well as Barbara, Agnes’ sister. The villains are more caricatures but serve their purpose in the story and reflect the times. A secondary story line is Harriet’s struggle with her sexuality; she is a lesbian, and her exploration of that world. Osler uses other CHs assumptions and the clothing and customs of that era to great affect to add to the Tone of jeopardy in both the mystery and the personal aspect of the narrative. Good use of dialogue and humor also add to the Tone and Pacing and yields a very satisfactory outcome—I await the next in the series. Extensive bibliographic references are included in the notes. RED FLAGS: Graphic Violence, Domestic Abuse, Misogyny, Patriarchal Nonsense, LGBTQIA Issues. The ST (Sexual Tension) is nicely done and is more an undercurrent than graphic so more like a Cozy. Readalikes are Stephen Spotswood and Lev A. C. Rosen, both for the mixture of excellent CHs, authentic historical Frame, gay themes, and Procedural detail, as well as a possible match for Katherine Schellman, Nita Prose, and Jacqueline Winspear Maisie Dobbs fans.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1898, and Harriet Morrow has just left her bookkeeping job for a chance to be a detective. The Prescott Agency hires her as their first female operative; her hiring immediately generates controversy within the agency and resistance amongst most of the male operatives, and the female secretarial staff.

Theodore Prescott, owner, decides to send Harriet to her first investigation: a maid at his neighbour's place, Pearl Bartless, has been missing. Though Prescott believes the maid may not even be missing, based on one of his male operative's initial assessment of the case, Prescott also believes Harriet's presence will mollify Pearl.

Harriet meets the unconventional Pearl, and quickly deduces that there is more going on; in fact, Harriet is worried Agnes Wozniak the maid may have been kidnapped from her third floor room at Pearl's. Following what few clues about Agnes that Pearl can provide, Harriet begins travelling around Chicago in search of answers. She finds more than she expected in Chicago's Polish community, from Agnes' attractive older sister Barbara, to the Wozniak family and its bitter and controlling patriarch, to factory union workers, and to a crime boss.

Harriet's investigation is overseen by a male operative, who is supportive one moment, dismissive the next, and Harriet finds herself instead bonding with another of the male operatives, who listens, provides useful feedback, and even takes her to a gun range to learn to protect herself, if necessary.

Harriet has a very tight timeline in which to conclude the investigation, and she finds danger in the city, sabotage of her investigation at the agency, and recalcitrance from her high school-aged brother, Aubrey, who makes home life a little more difficult than it has to be.

The story is gripping, while conveying the historical situation for women and queer people well. Harriet is unconventional, wants more from life than what women are typically allotted, and discovers more about herself through her investigation, while also forging a better relationship with her brother. And there's a hint of possible romance eventually for Harriet.

It's a good start to a series, and I look forward to Harriet's next case.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

For this and other bookish content, subscribe to my blog! www.bargain-sleuth.com

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the first volume of the Harriet Morrow Investigates series, and the book does a great job of setting up Harriet’s backstory and what led her to solve mysteries. She needs a job and becomes the first female hired by the Prescott Agency that will be a detective and not a secretary. I was so glad that this book was set during the Gilded Age and in Chicago instead of New York or London, as if those cities cornered the market on the Gilded Age. I’ve read other historical fiction books that were set in Chicago around the time of the World’s Fair (1893), and one really gets a feel for the city on the cusp of a new century

I appreciated the LGBTQIA representation in the story and how much different things were in the 1890s. Things have changed so much for this marginalized community since then, but if some people have their way, they’ll have to go back to hiding their true identity much as they did 125 years ago. Add the fact that Harriet is only 21 and is tasked with raising her younger brother adds another layer of dimension to her character.

What seems like a rather straight-forward mystery as to the whereabouts of a missing maid is anything but, and this mystery has a lot of red herrings and twists and turns, so the reader has to really pay attention to keep up! As Harriet gets closer to solving the mystery, an astute reader would pick up on certain clues to figure out the culprit. Overall, this cozy mystery series is one that I hope to continue.

This book was narrated by Nicol Zanzarella and they did an excellent job bringing this new series to life. I would definitely listen to something narrated by them again.

[K. East · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminds me vaguely of a series by Amy Stewart about the Kopp sisters, based on the "forgotten true story of one of the nation’s first female deputy sheriffs" in 1919. See if this doesn't sound like Harriet Morrow: "Constance Kopp doesn’t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world". I'm not suggesting they are copies of one another, only that the female characters have similar personalities that make them more suited for roles that were more traditionally assigned to men during the period in which they lived. Both women made for interesting reading, although I have mixed feelings about presenting Harriet as gay as I wonder if it furthers the stereotype that only a "masculine female" possesses what it takes to measure up to the men in a male-dominated profession. It feels like it that character choice undermines the value of women in the workplace if they possess more traditionally feminine qualities and preferences. I see the book is written by a gay man, which opens up another whole can of questions. I'd send a copy to my gay college roommate to see what she thinks, but alas, she doesn't read cozy mysteries. Despite any of these issues, I still enjoyed the book and I'd like to see another book or two about Harriet's escapades as a detective in Chicago at the turn of the century.

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounding up. I’m usually not a huge fan of historical mysteries but this one charmed me with the main character and a pretty decent plot.

Harriet is starting her job as the first female detective in at the Prescott agency in Chicago in the early 19th century. She’s a trouser wearing, bike riding, closeted lesbian but nothing society says is going to keep her from giving her first case her best shot. She’s been assigned a missing person case - a young maid in a wealthy home has gone missing and since no one really cares about her, Harriet has been assigned this case as the most junior officer. However as she begins her investigation she realizes there’s much more going on and it’s far more dangerous than she ever suspected .

I was worried the main focus would be on Harriet making it as a female detective and I’d have to read about all the ways she was mistreated. However, while it’s certainly not glossed over, it is clearly not the main point of the book. We actually get a meaty plot and excellent character work which made n very excited for more books to come

[John Bunyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of an woman applying to be a detective with no qualifications other than brazen confidence in the face of her prospective boss reminded me of the opening episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show when Lou told Mary, “You’ve got spunk. I hate spunk.”
But this is not a comedy or a farce. Harriet Morrow is a strong character. The book is well written. The author weaves in naturally the historical aspects of 1898: the Polish population of Chicago, the lives of gay and lesbian people, certain aspects of the economy and politics, the efforts of women for equality
The mystery itself is good. It seemed obvious who the perpetrator was though the ending held surprises and was satisfying. Characters are all well drawn. I would read more by this author

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun historical mystery book! set in 1898 about a woman who’s trying to be one of the first female detectives in chicago and all about how she proves herself while battling gender norms and expectations and all. intriguing story and engaging enough book

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this is my first book by this author. It was a great first experience! The Case of the Missing Maid is a cozy, missing persons mystery with Harriet Morrow as the lead person investigating the case of missing maid Agnes Wozniak. Her very first case, and she's trying to prove herself. She's dedicated to solving the mystery no matter what it takes. I love cozy mysteries, and this one I enjoyed very much! The story gave me enough to keep me interested and want to know what happened. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, though, as it felt very anticlimactic. Overall though it was a pretty good read!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rated up. Excellent first book in a new historical series. Did not figure the mystery out until I was supposed to.

[Cleo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting premise and engaging MCs. Loved the character development and addition of new relationships

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smart spunky Harriet! Looking forward to #2. And love the Chicago setting.

[Ally Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ⭐️ Read for my contemporary literature class. This was really fun. I quite enjoyed it.

[Kristyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and fun mystery!! I love books about persistent women detecting.

[Thanh · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm so devastated that i didn't like this :( i really like harriet as a character and osler does a good job making 1898 chicago feel alive. it's obvious when you read afterword that osler has put a lot of thought and research into the context, which i appreciate. there is a lot of care put into the portrayal of queer people and womanhood from that time period. i see other reviews criticising how mean people were to harriet but i think osler deliberately chose to be faithful to what it would've been like in a young queer woman in a male-dominated field in the 1890s.

that being said, i REALLY struggled getting through this book. there's no obvious reason that stands out but i was just not invested in the story at all. maybe osler was a bit too ambitious with setting the scene for the series because at times, there was too much exposition for my liking. perhaps, too, the stakes also were mostly relatively low. i do like how it ended and set up future books in the series so i'd be curious to see how it continues. thank you kensington publishing and rob osler for the e-arc!

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob Osler's first in a new series finds Harriet Morrow in 1898 Chicago trying to succeed as a private investigator in a man's world. Harriet's also harboring a secret - she's romantically interested in woman. As her first missing person's assigned case takes her to places in the city she never dreamed existed, her personal life becomes entwined with the investigation. Great secondary characters I hope Rob brings along for future cases. Lots of fun this cozy mystery. Looking forward to more Harriet! Book 2 is scheduled for a January 2026 release.

Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the ARC.