The Case of the Murdered Muckraker

Harriet Morrow Investigates #2

by Rob Osler

Harriet Morrow, a spunky, bike-riding, independent, lesbian P.I. in turn-of-the-20th century Chicago, is back on the case in this brilliant historical mystery inspired by a real-life Windy City detective – from the acclaimed author of the Anthony, Agatha, Macavity, and Lefty Award-nominated Devil’s Chew Toy. For fans of Lev AC Rosen, Ashley Weaver, and Stephen Spotswood.

Chicago, 1898. In the midst of the Progressive Era, twenty-one-year-old junior detective Harriet Morrow is determined to prove she’s more than a lucky hire as the Prescott Agency’s first woman operative. But her latest challenge—a murder case steeped in scandal—could become a deadly setback . . .

As the Windy City thaws from a harsh winter, Harriet Morrow 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 a 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 and turns 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 new dangers explode around her. Enlisting the help of Matthew McCabe, her only true confidante at the agency, and growing more protective of her budding relationship with the lovely Barbara Wozniak, Harriet will need to survive rising threats to assert her place in a world that’s quick to dismiss her—and out a killer who’s always one step ahead . . .

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

328 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 27, 2026

About the author

Rob Osler is the USA Today Bestselling author of The Harriet Morrow Investigates series, THE CASE OF THE MURDERED MUCKRAKER (book #2) and THE CASE OF THE MISSING MAID (book #1), both receiving Publishers Weekly starred reviews.

CIRQUE DU SLAY, the follow-up to acclaimed DEVIL'S CHEW TOY, won the 2025 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, Queer Crime Writers, and the Authors' Guild. 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

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I loved the first book in this series so much, that when I saw there was another one available on NetGalley, I had to request it. I love historical cozy mysteries, and really love seeing more authors writing gay characters in their books. Not sure how much other readers care, but I love it when authors include all the resources they used when writing their books. As a non-fiction reader, I have sometimes looked up and read some of those books and articles.

This is a great, clean cozy mystery for someone looking for their next read. There is absolutely no smut. Definitely would recommend this!

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 5 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.

I hope the author keeps this series going. It has a lot of potential and the overarching elements are slooooow going so I think this series would have a lot of staying power. Given that we are only a few weeks/months into the characters journey I think there is a lot left for us to experience!

P.S. For some reason this novel took me FOREVER to read. Same with the first one. Not a complaint or compliment, just a comment.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

[Diane Vallere · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid mystery and a charming sleuth--but my favorite part is the language of the book. Rob Osler knows his character's voice so well and it shines through, making Harriet and 1898 Chicago come alive. Recommend!

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the digital ARC. I love Harriet. She is sweet, sincere, smart, hard working, and understands and adores wearing “men’s clothes,” even if it’s illegal in late 19th Century Chicago. Here’s hoping her romance with Barbara burns a little stronger in book 3. I know it’s scary stuff for the time period. Also more Pearl, Matthew, and Aubrey. Great secondary characters.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026: 4.0

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The writing is beautiful and I looooove Harriet. She has so much personal growth in such a short time and it continues in this book. I am in awe of her strength and perseverance after multiple dangers and injuries. I also love how she treated people, meeting them where they are and having compassion for the circumstance. This shines a light on the plight of immigrants at the time and the dangerous and cramped tenements where they lived. It also showed the various levels of protests and revolution people are willing to attempt for change and it makes her confront where she draws the line. Of course I loved seeing her introspection about her queerness and what it means for her in her own unique way; she is strong and determined to be comfortable in her own and skin and clothes and I love that for her. And the budding romance, I have so much hope! I just cannot wait to read more!

Thanks to the publisher for a free ARC; my thoughts and review are my own.

[Brigit (Cosy.horror.corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable, quirky and suspenseful crime thriller, with some great characters and great queer representation. I found the main protagonist Harriet very likeable. The plot was pleasantly balanced with intelligent banter, occasional comedic relief, historical human rights themes, and atmospheric mystery against a backdrop of late 19th century urban Chicago.

Would recommend to anyone that enjoys an old-fashioned but fast-paced mystery with some progressive and uplifting tones.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this advanced readers copy. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is SUCH a Chicago story. Specifically a story about the “City of the big shoulders, hog butcher for the world” – even though Carl Sandburg’s famous poem won’t be published for another SIXTEEN years. It’s a story about a city whose politics are so thoroughly, infamously corrupt that its reputation was already made in 1898 and persists well into the 21st century.

A reputation that was certainly justified in Harriet Morrow’s 1898 and for decades thereafter. Whether or not it’s still true today is not within the scope of Harriet’s adventures.

However, the corruption exposed in THIS story, IS within the scope of Harriet’s adventures. After all, Harriet Morrow is the star of this show – even if it’s a show she’s still personally figuring out the scope of at this point in her fledgling career as the first female private investigator working for the prestigious Prescott Agency in 1898 Chicago. Not too far down the street – literally – is the more famous Pinkerton National Detective Agency.

Theodore Prescott’s reasons for hiring Harriet as his first female operative were more pragmatic than merely following in the footsteps of his better known rival. Not just that his wife was pestering him on behalf of their eccentric next-door-neighbor whose maid had gone missing. He threw Harriet at that problem because it seemed like it needed a woman’s touch – not to solve but to placate both women. Instead, Harriet found a real missing persons case (The Case of the Missing Maid), solved it, and made an excellent friend in Prescott’s neighbor Pearl Bartlett.

And earned herself a job as a private detective that pays 50% more than her previous job as a bookkeeper – although Prescott isn’t paying her nearly as much as he would pay a new MALE operative. She’s making enough to support herself and her 16-year-old brother – if barely. But she’s all too aware that she’s hanging on by a thread. She’s Prescott’s experiment, an experiment that he could end at any time.

Which doesn’t stop her from being more than a bit wary about the new case that she’s been assigned. Because the assignment has nothing to do with her skills and everything to do with her gender. A muckraking journalist who claimed to have dug through some particularly nasty muck regarding one of Chicago’s most notorious dirty aldermen, managed to get himself murdered. (All things considered, it would be more of a surprise the reporter hadn’t ended up dead.)

The location of his murder was a tenement building near the Stockyards. A killing committed during the day, while all the male residents were at work. The women, however, were home. The woman who found the body was arrested for the murder because the cops needed a scapegoat and didn’t want to – or had orders not to – poke their truncheons into anything the muckraker might have raked up.

Those women most likely know a whole lot more than any man is going to get out of them. But Harriet might. At least she might if she can find a way into the closed community – not as a resident – but as a female “do-gooder” from one of the nearby settlement houses.

Even if donning that role will require her to lie quite a bit and go back to wearing the dresses she’s just set aside for the more practical, more comfortable, and better fitting (in more ways than one) men’s suits she’s recently adopted.

She’ll have to pass as an “unremarkable” woman. Something that Harriet Morrow has never been able to do. But if she follows the trail that muckraking journalist left, she might just manage to fight City Hall exactly where it will hurt the most.

Escape Rating B: There is simply a LOT to this story. So much so that it takes a while to build up to – and to get into. It also refers to the first book in the series, The Case of the Missing Maid, quite a bit, but in a way that begs the reader to go back and read it if they haven’t already.

And they really should to get where Harriet is at this point in her story. Because it’s only been three weeks in her frame of reference, so she’s still dealing with the personal consequences. Specifically, the personal consequences that she’s just at the beginning of her journey to discover herself as a queer woman and live as much as that truth as feels right for her. That she might get arrested for wearing men’s suits is part of that journey, as are her tentative steps towards a romance with the rescued “missing maid” from the first story, Barbara Wozniak.

Those factors are what make Harriet unique and interesting as an independent woman in late 1890s Chicago and as a female detective finding her way both personally and professionally.

What makes the story is the investigation that she conducts, and the bustling, booming, brawling city she conducts it in. The Chicago of the Progressive Era, with its burgeoning immigrant population, its packed tenement housing, its sprawling stockyards and its infamously corrupt politics.

Harriet’s second case is every bit as much of a sprawl as the first. A sprawl that Harriet experiences at ground level from the seat of her bicycle.

There’s a HUGE amount going on, from the settlement houses (like Jane Addams’ Hull House) to the Stockyard’s Packingtown to the tony North Shore to the pigeons pooping on City Hall. (There’s not literally a perspective from the pigeons but I honestly could not resist the metaphor.)

Harriet is in the thick of a whole lot of things that she has no clue about – on multiple levels. She’s never been rich, but she never truly had to worry about a roof over her head or where her next meal was coming from until after her parents died. Compared to the immigrants squashed into Packingtown, she’s rich and comfortable even though it hasn’t felt that way since she’s been supporting herself and her brother.

The condition of working people, especially immigrants, was absolutely gruesome. The journalists were called muckrakers because there was so much muck to rake over the way that the high-and-mighty took advantage of everyone and everything while the people they were taking advantage of starved and slaved their way into an early grave.

That her pursuit of this case, combined with Chicago’s then-recent history (the 1868 Haymarket riot), puts Harriet amid the waning socialists and the rising anarchists isn’t surprising – although it very nearly is deadly.

And all of that is merely the tip of a big, dirty, iceberg. An iceberg that is covered in the snow of Harriet’s journey of self-discovery as a queer woman at a time and place where she can be arrested just for wearing trousers.

The case is fascinating, but to get to the heart of everything requires a lot of back and side story. That Harriet is learning – and making mistakes – as she goes helps the reader to both feel for her and learn along with her, but occasionally the pace of the mystery slows down to cope with the amount of information it needs to get out of the way and into the reader’s head, first.

“The past is foreign country, they do things differently there.” And the reader finds themselves learning the lingo of that “foreign country” through every push of the pedals in Harriet’s journey. Whether the reader enjoys that part or gets bogged down in it will certainly be in the eye of the reader.

I had some mixed feelings. On the one hand, I loved the deep dive into the history of the city, and had to smile at the mention of a few landmarks that are still around, like The Berghoff. Overall, however, all of the information that is included in the story – and there’s a lot of it – while it adds to the atmosphere and paints a colorful picture of just how the sausage of Chicago politics got made – also slows down the pace towards solving the multiple mysteries that arise.

I like Harriet as a protagonist a lot. I love that her agonies – which she certainly would have – mostly focused on the difficulties of bicycling around the city and the sheer amount of time it takes her, making progress as a detective, getting the respect of her colleagues and making incremental progress in that direction AND the difficulty of “on the job” training when the person training her is generally herself.

But as much as I enjoy the history AND Harriet’s perspective, she fumbles and stumbles a lot – as she would. There’s also a lot of information to fumble and stumble over and convey to the reader. I did get bogged down in the middle but I still wanted to see how Harriet would get through.

And I’m glad I did. And I’m equally glad that it reads as though Harriet’s adventures will continue.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s rare that I like a second novel more than the first, but Rob Osler has pulled it off with the second book in his series about Harriet Morrow, a fledgling private detective in turn of the century Chicago. I liked the first book very much, but in this book, Osler deepens and expands Harriet’s character. She’s an LGBTQ woman at a time when such things were hardly discussed and she’s not sure what to do about it, though she seems to have a girlfriend in waiting and she does enjoy wearing men’s clothes. Unbelievably, cross dressing was an offense that could bring a fine or jail time or both, so she mostly confines herself to wearing men’s more comfortable shoes and practical hats. She vastly prefers trousers for bicycling around town (and who can blame her?) but she makes do.

She’s young and the only woman in her agency so she’s still feeling her way through an investigation and relies on a sympathetic colleague for advice. The pool of female secretaries seems to resent the fact that a woman is in her position, but Harriet is nothing if not persistent. She powers through many a situation that is uncomfortable or dangerous, and in this, she resembles her fearless fictional Chicago counterpart, V.I. Warshawski, who also keeps working despite discomfort and injury.

Harriet lives with her 16 year old brother – their parents are both dead – and has found a spiritual auntie of sorts in the cranky Pearl, who she met in the first book (The Case of the Missing Maid). Pearl, while cranky with many, is fond of Harriet and her brother, Aubrey, and they spend most Sunday nights at her home for dinner.

The case Harriet takes on in this novel is exactly as the title describes – a muckraking journalist has been found murdered in a tenement, and the police have simply arrested the woman who lived in the closest apartment, taking her children away to orphanages in the bargain. Harriet feels two strong pulls: she wants to find the killer, and she wants to get the woman out of jail and reunite her with her children.

She goes undercover at a local settlement house – what we might think of as a homeless shelter – and from there to the tenement where the murder took place, as a representative of the settlement house. She finds grinding, hopeless poverty and unhelpful neighbors who expect nothing more than a morsel and a bed to sleep in at the end of the day.

Determined, Harriet peels away the layers of the tenant’s lives, as well as digging into some of the corrupt politics the muckraker was looking into. Being Chicago, there was plenty for him to investigate, where crooked aldermen seem to have been the norm time out of mind. She’s also exposed to the various progressive movements around the city as she continues her investigation.

The skillful Osler brings Chicago to full life, looking at a slice of time and a group of people not much examined in mystery fiction. He writes with sensitivity about Harriet’s quest for identity, to a point where I shed a tear or two as I read. Oh – and the plot is pretty great too, complex without being too complicated and drawing in issues of the time, while illuminating the story with his wonderfully delineated characters. This is a truly remarkable new series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When the will is ready, the feet are light." (Proverb)

Picture this: The City With the Broad Shoulders (Chicago) in the Progressive Era (1880's - 1920's) with insurmountable obstacles left and right. Pack a bag of resilience. Ya gonna need it.

Meet Harriet Morrow. Harriet is not your everyday character within everyday books. She lost both parents recently and is the sole support system for her sixteen year old brother, Aubrey. At twenty-one, Harriet has the weight of the world on her own shoulders. She also marches to the beat of a different drum and prefers to wear men's attire. It also helps greatly with her mode of transportation. Harriet pedals her dependable bike around the city's muddy pot holes and mounds of horse doodoo.

Now add to this the fact that Harriet has been hired as the only woman operative in the Prescott Detective Agency. Harriet has to prove herself on a daily basis with a minimum of training in a maximum job. (Harriet is actually based on a true female detective of the era.) She's given a new case in which a journalist has been murdered. No matter the odds, our gal doesn't let failure overtake her.

That Progressive Era in Chicago is deeply encased in recent immigrants, workers' rights, and a political machine that dominates everything within the city. It's also within the timespan of the Haymarket Riot of 1886 in which seven police officers and four citizens were killed when a bomb was thrown by an anarchist. This is the timeframe in which Harriet operates.

That journalist who was murdered was found stabbed to death in one of the dark hallways of a tenement building. The recent immigrants stay locked in their cramped apartments. No one seems to have seen anything. It's up to Harriet to peel back the layers of fear in order to reveal what exactly occurred that night. And when she does, Harriet will unravel something more knotted and more complex than she ever could have imagined.

The Case of the Murdered Muckraker can be read as a standalone thanks to Rob Osler filling in the background information precisely. But I'd encourage you to pick up the first installment, The Case of the Missing Maid, in order to get a better feel for these characters. Harriet is a rare gem.

Rob Osler has done incredible research which enhances his placement of Chicago within this time period. Read his Author's Notes. Osler does a spot-on job of portraying the plight of these earlier immigrants and the support afforded them at Jane Addam's Hull House. Osler also sets the tone for the queer population and their continuing uphill battle for acceptance. I am so impressed by Rob Osler and my hope is that this is just the beginning of a wonderful friendship between ol' Harriet and ourselves. Bravo, Rob Osler, just bravo.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to the talented Rob Osler for the opportunity.

[Josie]

Entire review @JoyfullyJay.com

3.5⭐️

This is an interesting sophomore outing. Harriet has to maneuver among government corruption, scared immigrants, and violent protest. Overall, the mystery is good. . . I enjoy the setting, and the history is woven into the narrative well. It’s almost impossible to not evoke a history lesson sometimes, usually when the added political/social commentary is in monologues.

Harriet is also relatable. . . Despite her supreme inexperience, she’s clever and resilient; though her impulsiveness and bone deep need to succeed make her recklessly brave at times. Her cleverness and inexperience are used believably (except when she’s deucedly unintelligent in scenarios she was previously smart about).

This is perfect for a straightforward sleuthing adventure. I like almost all the individual components of the series. Yet. . . the sensation of something missing that I had with the first book is amplified here. What I most appreciated previously was the balance between the mystery and Harriet’s personal life, which is absent.

Aubrey’s discontent is background static that Harriet is irritated and occasionally hurt by. “Enlisting the help of Matthew McCabe” is true if you mean christening him as a male figure for Aubrey to spend time with. Once that’s quickly sorted, Matthew’s gone after a few investigative tips.

Despite “[Harriet] growing more protective of her budding relationship,” she and Barbara spend little time together. Their one substantial conversation is an argument—political rather than personal. . . The only reason Harriett came to see her is that she wanted to bend her ear about the case. . . Still, a short pit-stop to develop the bonds with her very recently formed companions after the many times she hits a wall would have been appreciated.

To me, a case this big is too soon. The relationships convey different sides of Harriet and add more depth and energy, and without a counterbalance to the heavy investment into the explication of societal failures, the story seems longer than it is. I often put the book down and struggled to return to it. . .

[Pam Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Rob Osler’s other series, the Devil’s Chew Toy and Cirque du Slay, which are cozies about a gay blogger who takes up with a lesbian and a bull dog to solve crimes. Cozies are not usually my cup of tea, but I do enjoy being able to read about LGBTQ characters from time to time, and Osler is a good story-teller and writer.
The Case of the Murdered Muckraker is an historical fiction about a lesbian in 1890’s Chicago who has taken the role of the first female private detective for a PI agency. Harriet Morrow is smart, hard-working and yet making half of what the males get in the agency, of course. Harriet wears men’s clothing whenever she can -- even if that is illegal is 19th Century Chicago. In book one of this series of two, Harriet solves The Case of the Missing Maid and is in the early stages of a romance with the maid of that story.
The attention to detail was superb in this story about a murder in a tenement building during the day when all the men are at work but the women were at home. When a woman is charged with the murder, the agency decides a woman is needed to investigate, disguised as a “do-gooder” from one of the nearby settlement houses. Osler includes a long list of references he used to research the detail of this involved story.
Harriet rides her bike around Chicago -- which is slow and difficult -- as we learn about the horrible conditions of life for immigrants in Chicago at the turn of the century. All the while someone on a horse is following her. The numerous inequalities that Harriet faces in society, just trying to do her job, makes the reader realize that, were she a man, the investigation would have been so much easier. Yet, impossible to solve, given the male lack of understanding of the plight of women.
The book is very involved with many historical details. Harriet is very likeable, as are the other characters in the story around her. The mystery was perhaps not complex for the reader, but it was for Harriet! Her telling of the story of The Case of the Murdered Muckraker was enlightening and fascinating.
My rating: 4 of 5

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.
The Case of the Murdered Muckraker was published on Jan 27, 2026.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well written historical tale about a young woman working as a detective in an agency at the turn of the 20th century in Chicago. She also has to be very careful with her appearance because of her preference for men's clothing and women's company. The problem is with the local laws regarding either type of cross dressing, even if it is for an undercover assignment. She has an older widowed friend who keeps her supplied with the husband's clothing and such, a younger brother disinclined to find employment or help around the house (parents died four years ago), a gay male coworker who is a good friend, and a girlfriend of her own.

Harriet's boss assigns her to investigate the murder of a journalist as the police weren't interested in the truth but have rather railroaded a woman with four young children and an absent drunkard of a husband. The boss feels that Harriet will do a better job of infiltrating those living in the tenements and the orphanages where the children were taken in an effort to find the evidence that the journalist had obtained. She also uses an opportunity to infiltrate the local subversives who had been watched by the murdered journalist and learns to use a derringer.
It is a good historical representation of some of the issues of the day and does provide significant references and documentation of historical facts. Excellent character development and world building, sneaky plot twists, and a real whiplash twist at the end!

I requested and received a temporary uncorrected review galley from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. Pub Date Jan 27, 2026 #preorder
#TheCaseoftheMurderedMuckraker @roboslerwriter #HarrietMorrowInvestigatesBk2 @Netgalley
@kensingtonbooks @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial ***** Review #thestorygraph #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #bookshop_org_ca #chicago #lgbtqia #privateinvestigators #rivalry #secrets #lies #undercover #friendship #crossdressing #ethnics #witty #historicalnovel

[Rachael Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to dive back into another mystery with Harriet and her bike around turn of the century Chicago. In book number 1, Harriet is trying to establish herself in a new progressive era as the first woman in the Prescott Agency as a detective. She is still working on being taken seriously both as a woman and as a detective in a male dominated field, but she's solved her first case and now she's back for another.

In this story, Harriet is assigned to a much higher stakes case where she needs to "blend in" to get to the heart of the matter. I loved how the author wove this story together, creating twists and turns which pull the reader on an engaging and satisfying ride. I think it's one of the reasons the first book stuck out to me, the character is well developed and we see her constantly learning and growing. She also doesn't get everything right on the first try which makes her feel more "human". She has some great other characters in her growing circle and even a light love interest reemerges from book one. As someone else mentioned, this is just a good clean mystery and I love that we don't wander too far down the relationship rabbit hole.

I also want to mention that the author includes a fantastic list of references they used along the way. Since we know the main character is inspired by a real woman, we can also see that though the story is mostly fiction, there are some nuggets of real events. I can't wait to see what more happens for Harriet and her budding detective career.

[dnsyl57 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Case of the Murdered Muckraker" is book #2 in "Harriet Morrow Investigates" by Rob Osler.

Junior detective Harriet Morrow is back for another case in 1898 Chicago. The stakes are high as she is assigned to discover who killed a muckraker and recover the evidence he had to take down a powerful yet corrupt local politician. She takes on some rather uncomfortable attire to "fit in" to various situations as she tries to gain trust of immigrant women at a tenement, a settlement home, a gymnasium and to confront some potential suspects. The story takes a number of unexpected turns as you try to figure out which of the people she encounters are friend or foe. Of course there are also a few very dangerous situations for Harry (and many others!) before all is said and done!!

Along with the murder/corruption case, she is contemplating how to proceed with her potential romance with Barbara. Harry is also dealing with her sixteen year old brother Aubrey.

Clearly, Rob Osler did a lot of research into life in 1898 Chicago. Government and police corruption, life for immigrants, the struggle for better working conditions & hours as well as ending child labor and so much more.

The plight of some of the characters was heartbreaking but the story held so much depth through all the challenges that Harriet and other faced.

Overall, this was an excellent page turner of a historical mystery! I can't wait to read Harriet's next adventure! Bravo Rob Osler!

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Murdered Muckraker is a strong second installment in this historical cozy mystery series set in 1890s Chicago. As the first female detective at her private investigation firm, the protagonist is still early in her career, taking on only her second case, which allows the story to balance professional inexperience with growing confidence in a satisfying way.

The pacing is thoughtful and deliberate, rewarding close attention without ever feeling slow. I found myself needing to slow down and fully engage with the text, which ultimately enhanced both the mystery and the richly realized historical setting. Chicago in the late nineteenth century is vividly drawn, and the period details feel well integrated into the investigation rather than purely decorative.

I also quickly grew to like the FMC. She’s a capable, determined lead whose perspective feels fresh within the genre, and her identity as a lesbian navigating a male-dominated profession is handled naturally and with care. As a sequel, this builds well on the foundation of the first book while remaining accessible and enjoyable on its own.

Overall, this is a well-paced, engaging historical cozy with a likable protagonist and a strong sense of time and place. I’ll happily continue with the series.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harriet is finally coming to terms with who she wants to be and how she wants to live. She is wearing men's suits, going to clubs where she can be herself with her new girlfriend and ride her bike all over Chicago while working cases as the agency's first female detective. This would not be a problem in present day but at the turn of the century being queer and dressing in men's clothes was illegal. Harriet is eager to prove herself with this new case even though she was chosen because as a woman she can blend in better at the settlement house where immigrant families will feel comfortable opening up to her. While investigating the murder of a journalist and wrongful imprisonment of a single mother, Harriet is up to her bike wheels in danger from corrupt politicians and an anarchist group. Journey through the gritty streets and booming downtown where dangers lurks in the shadows as much as city hall. This series shows a side of Chicago not usually talked about and the difficulties and dangers of being different. Harriet is a tough as nails detective but also shows vulnerability and compassion. This historical mystery series straddles the line between cozy and noir. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery. It has all the elements that makes a historical mystery good: historical detail without it feeling forced, good well-rounded characters, and a solid mystery. I personally wouldn't call this a cozy but it has many of those features as well.

Harriet, the only female detective at an agency catches a high profile murder case. A body is found in a tenement building with important documentation of the corruption of an important politician missing. However, the catch is: Harriet will have to give up her male clothing to blend in with the women at the tenement to gain their trust. Doubting her ability, Harriet will need the help of friends and a fellow detective to prove an immigrant mother innocent and bring down a dirty politician. That is if she can survive.

While this definitely has gritty aspects it isn't all dark. I love to see how Harriet grows in this book. She has a great relationship with her younger brother even if they clash at times (what siblings don't). Then there is a sweet relationship beginning for Harriet too. I look forward to more in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harriet is an intrepid private investigator. She is a lesbian keeping her secret closely guarded, this being Chicago at the turn of the twentieth century. Not the easiest time for a woman to be different, following a career that makes her distinctive. Not much help or support from colleagues which makes investigation, not just harder but lonely.

The story was a good one and all the characters stood out. Harriet had to work mainly alone, and this was an investigation with no holds barred, dealing with ruthless politicians who were extremely corrupt and who did not even think of Harriet as the opposition. That she had the grudging support of her boss was a good thing, because that did help.

Being gay and keeping it secret to the end was also hard because Harriet did feel that there were like minded people, but it was a topic that could not be spoken about. I do hope that we will have a sequel to this story. I’ll look forward to that.

[Olivia Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series lost a bit of its luster for me this time around, but the mystery is still solid.

I don’t know if it’s because the characters have already been established at this point and the novelty had worn off, but I was bored. This took me much longer than the previous installment did to finish. I can’t think of a specific reason for that, but I found my mind wandering or dozing off frequently.

I wish there’d been more of Barbara and Matthew, though I appreciated the larger involvement of Prescott himself. He’s a great fatherly figure. And Pearl is a lovely friend as well. I understand it’s a detective novel first and foremost, but one of the things I appreciated most about the first book were the relationships established. I’m not sure any of them progressed at all in this one.

Overall the mystery itself is riveting and fun to follow, but I’d have liked more character beats.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to offering intricate and intriguingly plotted mysteries, this Series is a joy for its fascinating view of 1890's Chicago, from the very wealthy to the abjectly poor, and its revelations of the (often shocking, denigrating, and dangerous) treatment of LGBTQ+ culture in that era. As a Sapphic "junior investigator" for a private detective agency, young Harriet Morrow walks an extremely fine line, proving herself in literally "a man's world," raising her younger brother to adulthood, concealing her romantic interests. Her one friend at the agency is a young secretly gay fellow junior detective.

Author Rob Osler has thoroughly researched the era, and the LGBTQ+ subculture, in depth; and he possesses a clever and discerning eye for revealing nuances of character.
I recommend this Series for Pride Month perusal.

[Cari Zuckerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers will be delighted to rejoin Harriet Morrow on her second case for the Prescott detective agency. Harriet is tasked with finding the killer of a journalist who had supposedly unearthed some powerful secrets. The case takes Harriet to the tenement houses of early 1900s Chicago and puts her toe to toe with corrupt alderman and radical political groups.

I was happy to return to the world of Harriet Morrow, her friends Matthew and Pearl, her brother Aubrey and her crush, Barbara. Quick paced and full of details of early 1900s Chicago, this book also explores queer life in that time and place. Harriet is an unforgettable protagonist and following her as she grows as a detective is a lot of fun. I'll be sure to continue following this series!

[Jess Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series because it is so unique. Harriet is a smart, dedicated, and no-nonsense lesbian PI. I love that this series addresses being part of the LGBTQ+ community at the turn of the century and the difficulties of being a woman in a male-dominated industry.

The characters are lovable and believable. Harriet isn’t a bumbling amateur but a clever, capable, and rational sleuth. This story had so many different events, and it was fun to figure out how it all tied together.

Overall, and enjoyable read! It’s so wonderful to follow Harriet as she continues to become more confident and comfortable in expressing her true self. Thank you to #NetGalley and #KensingtonPublishing for an ARC.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times during a cold spell in winter or a sunny moment in summer when you just want to settle in and enjoy a read. When looking for that, a cozy mystery such as this one is an excellent choice.

Harriet “Harry” Morrow is on her second case with the Prescott Detective Agency investigating the murder of a journalist at one of Chicago’s tenement houses. It appears the journalist had some incriminating evidence against one of the city’s alderman. As Harry explore, we get a glimpse into what a gay woman must endure in late 19th C Chicago. Harry would prefer to wear men’s clothes, but that’s illegal. Nonetheless, Harry is able in investigate and solve the murder.

Harry’s a great character. She’s tough, clever and forthright but very savvy on how to investigate. I think she prevails as a character because who doesn’t like a woman who can hold her own in a man’s world.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Press for allowing me access to this ARC.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.5 stars

The Case of the Murdered Muckraker is an interesting sophomore outing for the Harriet Morrow Investigates series. Although Harriet solved an unexpectedly complicated case, her position isn’t secure. She believes succeeding at such an important endeavor can make a solid dent in lowering the eyebrows and decreasing the sneers of her detractors. However, it’s one thing to find a missing person, quite another to maneuver among government corruption, scared immigrants, and violent protest. Overall, the mystery is good.

Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a romp. A grand old time even. I have a special place in my heart for historical murder mysteries and a bigger spot for people writing about cities they clearly like. More over, I think Osler balances very well queer folks just existing in history. There is a lot that is cruel to them but they are just people living their lives and being happy. It is endlessly lovely to me to just have stories that are honest about what the world is and has been and are active and interested in the part of getting to be happy within community. The mystery itself was fun and layered and a great journey into different parts of Chicago. Really can't wait to keep going with the series.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chicago, 1898: To solve the murder of a journalist investigating political corruption, junior detective Harriet goes undercover in the city's immigrant community, facing rising threats and a killer who's always one step ahead.

Harriet is such a wonderful, relatable character, doing her best to make a place for herself in a world hostile to people like her. The setting is well-researched and vividly rendered. The mystery is fast-paced and kept me guessing until the end.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series. Harriet is a young, lesbian detective in a prominent agency in the late 1800`s. Her boss, Mr. Prescott, is very accepting of Harriet's unorthodox way of dressing, as a man! Harriet solved her first case in the first book, so now she has been assigned a more serious and powerful case. With her friend Matthew's support, (a detective) and her biggest fan, Harriet sets out to solve the murder of Muckraker. Harriet faces many new challenges and more serious adversaries, but she determined to be the best detective she knows how to be!

[Carolyn Marsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest this book didn't catch my attention i felt like i started to skim it to get through it. the main character just always seemed clueless and then did things that made no sense when it came to her job. i didn't really understand how someone that seems so incompetent was a detective. The case wasn't that interesting there wasn't much character development or connections.

[Laura Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this novel.

I am rating this 3.5 stars, rounded up. It had a great mystery with a strong female MC. This is perfect for readers who want a mystery with a sapphic romance in the background. I love the era this story is set in, along with the urban Chicago setting. I certainly will be watching for more books involving Harriet Morrow.