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Hilda Johansson #5
Crimson Snow
Based on a 1904 unsolved murder case in Indiana, Crimson Snow weaves immigrant life, class and ethnic tensions into a taught drama featuring Swedish maid, Hilda, in the Studebaker mansion.
248 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
97 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne M. Dams
47 books219 followersJeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 15, 2016
Hilda has worked for several years at the Studebaker mansion as a maid but now her life is on the verge of change. Her beloved fireman, Patrick, has been offered a partnership in a dry goods business by his wealthy uncle, which means that now the couple has the wherewithal to marry. But complicating this step is the fact that their mothers and other members of both families are against this union, being that one is an Irish Catholic and the other is a Swedish Lutheran. And in the midst of this personal turmoil, Hilda’s youngest brother’s well-liked teacher is found bludgeoned to death in an alley. He, as well as an accused man, wants Hilda to solve the murder and find the guilty party. Set in the early twentieth century in South Bend, Indiana, this murder is loosely based in fact. The intricate plot and interesting characters come from the author vivid imagination, as well as the solution to the murder. This series just keeps getting better with each book.
September 22, 2018
At first I wasn't sure. I like the British cozies by this author, and the writing style here seemed somehow more...plodding. But I think she was trying to channel her narrator, for whom English is a second language. The somewhat-radical immigrant servant who becomes a middle-class housewife in early 20th century Middle America is a very pleasant change from the usual mystery viewpoint, and the characters and plot are credible.
January 20, 2014
Set in the early 20th-century in South Bend, Indiana, Jeanne M. Dams' fifth installment in her Hilda Johansson series is truly as Dams likes to call her books a “cheerful mystery”. Inspired by a 1904 unsolved murder case, Dams allows Hilda to showcase her deductive skills.
March 6, 2024
I read the first two books in this series quite some time ago & liked them. I've been trying to find the next two in line for quite some time, but haven't had any luck so, while I like to read series books in order, I decided to move on with #5. Hilda Johansson, the Swedish maid in the Studebaker household, has a reputation for solving crimes so her youngest brother comes directly to her when his teacher is missing & begs her to find out what happened. Sadly, before she can look into the situation, Miss Jacobs's body is found. But Erik isn't the only one wanting Hilda's help in the matter. A prominent lawyer, friend to the Studebakers, is a suspect in the murder & her employer asks Hilda to find the real murderer to clear his name. While she is trying to do so, she's also dealing with the serious illness of the butler which has created chaos in the servant's quarters. But the biggest surprise is that Patrick, the Irishman she loves, is being taken into his uncle's dry goods business & will become quite well-to-do so he & Hilda will be able to marry much sooner than they planned. Hilda must now tell the Studebakers she will be leaving them, but she's very nervous about going from being a servant to a mistress of her own home. There are a lot of strange happenings surrounding her investigation of the murder; will she be able to figure them all out & find the person responsible for Miss Jacobs's death? The author based this incident on a real murder that happened in the early 1900s & her knowledge & detail of the social circles, the servant life, & the historical data of that era is excellent. I enjoyed it very much.
April 15, 2023
This is the first book from this series that I've read so the characters are new to me. The author does give clues to past investigations here and there. Hilda Johannson is a Swedish immigrant working as head maid in the Studebaker household. When her young brother Erik is upset by the murder of his popular teacher, she initially doesn't want to look into it. When a prominent attorney and friend of her employer comes under suspicion, however, she changes her mind. The story is credible, a bit slow at times, but I really liked the characters. Hilda's large family are Swedish Protestants; her soon-to-be fiance's family are Irish Catholics. Will she and Patrick ever make it to the altar? And I especially like the Malloys, Patrick's aunt and uncle, who accept Hilda into the family with no reservations. Not too bad a series. Just a bit confusing at times with Hilda and her brother stumbling through their new English words.
February 14, 2018
Dams has provided yet another quality entry in this Hilda Johansson series. I 'll not give an spoilers, but the intricate web of this mystery is marvelous to appreciate from the viewpoint of its successful conclusion, you just need to admire the perseverance of the detective to understand the truth, to prevent further harm in her community. I really appreciated the introduction of the Pinkerton Agency into the story as it is difficult from our perspective , 110 years later, to understand the state of policing then and what the Pinkerton's brought to the table, and how the wealthy could afford their services.
February 22, 2022
This was a good book that took place in Indiana which is where I am from. I was familiar with many places in the book especially the Auburn Mansion and the story behind it. This aspect brought more life to the book. I also liked that it was based on a true crime story. I found it interesting that this crime has still not been resolved ? I would like to read more books by this author.
December 31, 2022
Enter a frigid South Bend winter where Hilda Johannson is asked by her younger brother to look into his beloved teacher's disappearance. What starts as a simple request becomes Hilda's fifth foray into detecting work, leading her into the more sordid corners of the community.
Also she copes and grows as she prepares to marry out of her faith and culture.
Also she copes and grows as she prepares to marry out of her faith and culture.
March 8, 2023
Pleasant surprise! Found on Libby’s “available now” list. It wasn’t a gripping mystery, but enjoyed the view into life of an immigrant and housemaid in 1904. I loved Hilda’s tenacity, and would continue the series.
August 24, 2017
Love how strong of a character that Hilda is, the way she intertwines with the different classes, and the History Of South Bend and surrounding areas
December 6, 2018
Hilda is at her sleuthing once again. This time she is investigating who killed a beloved teacher. I enjoy this series and this was a good read.
June 17, 2014
First of all, I’m not very good when it comes to reviewing, though I’m aiming to fix that by reviewing the books that I really like. Second of all, I picked this book because it had a review from one of my other favorite historical mystery author, Rhys Bowen. If you haven’t read any of her stuff, go and do it now, because it’s absolutely awesome, funny, and with plenty of interesting characters.
Crimson Snow isn’t the first book to the series, and I haven’t read any of the others, though I do have the next one after this one. The library had the first one, but by the time I was going to get it, the library was pretty much about to close, so I just grabbed the two off the shelf. The library had the first book (Death In Lacquer Red), in Large Print, so I might get it next time, if I turn out to like these. Based on the book series, this is the fifth book? I’m not entirely sure, but it seemed interesting, so I’m going to read (and review) this one.
There’s been plenty of historical mysteries that I’ve read recently and liked, and even a lesbian
historical that had been absolutely fascinating as well. I’m hoping that with Crimson Snow, I’ll keep finding more interesting/fascinating historical mysteries, because its one of my favorite genres to read, aside from the YA, fantasy, and science fiction genres that I also love.
The review of Rhys Bowen that caught my interest goes like this: “It is always a pleasure to visit the Studebaker mansion with Hilda Johansson, the likeable, quick-thinking Swedish maid. In addition to the suspense of a mystery based on a true crime, Jeanne Dams gives us a great feel for immigrant life at the turn of the century, with the gulf between rich and poor and the tensions between various ethnic groups. Not to mention the cold of an Indiana winter-brr! Dams captures it all so wel.”
So, with great interest, I picked up the book, along with the second one that was next to it on the shelf, and bought it home to read. I always pick up books that have reviews by my favorite authors. Such as Into the Wilderness by Sarah Donatti, which had a review from Diana Gabaldon, one of my all time favorite authors, and it was how that I found that Into the Wilderness was actually linked with Outlander (though very briefly, it only mentioned Claire and Jamie for like a page and a half, if that, but still an enthralling read).
And so I read the book.
It took me a couple of hours, I flew through the book. The characters were quite enjoyable, and Hilda is a smart, sensible young lady though oft-times, she was a little dense. Being of Sweden, there were a few things I discovered-such as the Swedish had a different type of coffee than the Irish, which was quite interesting. There were other things as well, such as the Irish were mostly Catholics in this book, while the Swedish had their own religion, and both didn’t like it when they mixed. There was also a bit of politics in here. Two different newspapers that talked of politics, the Democrats paper and the Republicans paper, which was interesting as well. As such, women weren’t allowed to vote yet, and there were quite a few discussions about immigrants and how things were occurring back in those days.
At times, the mystery felt a little bit like the show Downton Abbey, with the mix of lower class and upper class citizens, and the maids and their employers and stuff. Which was fine, as I like the show Downton Abbey, and it made for a pleasing read throughout the book.
There were points where I wished I had read the first few books, as a few characters talked about Hilda’s mysteries that she’d solved before-skimping over details about a couple of cases that made me curious as to what exactly happened, but you don’t have to read those in order to read this one, as it was rather stand-aloneish.
Needless to say, Hilda is no Sherlock Holmes, but she is at the very least a Mrs. Marple, and she’s quite fun and entertaining to read. I highly recommend this book, if you like mysteries set in the cold weather with fascinating characters, then you will likely enjoy reading this book. I rate this book three and a half stars, marking it a four in total.
I look forward to reading other books by the author, and hopefully soon.
Crimson Snow isn’t the first book to the series, and I haven’t read any of the others, though I do have the next one after this one. The library had the first one, but by the time I was going to get it, the library was pretty much about to close, so I just grabbed the two off the shelf. The library had the first book (Death In Lacquer Red), in Large Print, so I might get it next time, if I turn out to like these. Based on the book series, this is the fifth book? I’m not entirely sure, but it seemed interesting, so I’m going to read (and review) this one.
There’s been plenty of historical mysteries that I’ve read recently and liked, and even a lesbian
historical that had been absolutely fascinating as well. I’m hoping that with Crimson Snow, I’ll keep finding more interesting/fascinating historical mysteries, because its one of my favorite genres to read, aside from the YA, fantasy, and science fiction genres that I also love.
The review of Rhys Bowen that caught my interest goes like this: “It is always a pleasure to visit the Studebaker mansion with Hilda Johansson, the likeable, quick-thinking Swedish maid. In addition to the suspense of a mystery based on a true crime, Jeanne Dams gives us a great feel for immigrant life at the turn of the century, with the gulf between rich and poor and the tensions between various ethnic groups. Not to mention the cold of an Indiana winter-brr! Dams captures it all so wel.”
So, with great interest, I picked up the book, along with the second one that was next to it on the shelf, and bought it home to read. I always pick up books that have reviews by my favorite authors. Such as Into the Wilderness by Sarah Donatti, which had a review from Diana Gabaldon, one of my all time favorite authors, and it was how that I found that Into the Wilderness was actually linked with Outlander (though very briefly, it only mentioned Claire and Jamie for like a page and a half, if that, but still an enthralling read).
And so I read the book.
It took me a couple of hours, I flew through the book. The characters were quite enjoyable, and Hilda is a smart, sensible young lady though oft-times, she was a little dense. Being of Sweden, there were a few things I discovered-such as the Swedish had a different type of coffee than the Irish, which was quite interesting. There were other things as well, such as the Irish were mostly Catholics in this book, while the Swedish had their own religion, and both didn’t like it when they mixed. There was also a bit of politics in here. Two different newspapers that talked of politics, the Democrats paper and the Republicans paper, which was interesting as well. As such, women weren’t allowed to vote yet, and there were quite a few discussions about immigrants and how things were occurring back in those days.
At times, the mystery felt a little bit like the show Downton Abbey, with the mix of lower class and upper class citizens, and the maids and their employers and stuff. Which was fine, as I like the show Downton Abbey, and it made for a pleasing read throughout the book.
There were points where I wished I had read the first few books, as a few characters talked about Hilda’s mysteries that she’d solved before-skimping over details about a couple of cases that made me curious as to what exactly happened, but you don’t have to read those in order to read this one, as it was rather stand-aloneish.
Needless to say, Hilda is no Sherlock Holmes, but she is at the very least a Mrs. Marple, and she’s quite fun and entertaining to read. I highly recommend this book, if you like mysteries set in the cold weather with fascinating characters, then you will likely enjoy reading this book. I rate this book three and a half stars, marking it a four in total.
I look forward to reading other books by the author, and hopefully soon.
September 20, 2014
Crimson Snow by Jeanne M. Dams is the fifth Hilda Johansson mystery set in January 1904 in South Bend, Indiana. Hilda is Swedish by birth. She immigrated to America with her family. Hilda currently works as a live-in housemaid for the Studebaker family. She’s faring quite well compared to many immigrants, and never forgets the less fortunate.
Hilda’s attention to details and her positive attitude make her a valued asset to the household staff. She’s also very talented at ferreting out clues to solve mysteries. She knows how to listen empathetically in a conversation, so even new acquaintances open up to her and reveal what they know about a person or situation she’s investigating.
Hilda is in love with Patrick Cavanaugh, an Irishman working at the fire station. Significant obstacles to marriage include lack of money, different religions, and family disapproval (due to nationality and religion). Hilda and Patrick are working hard to save money for their future; Hilda worries about their difference in religion.
One day Hilda’s younger brother Erik interrupts her work with the news his schoolteacher is missing. Soon after, the local newspapers report the woman was the victim of violent crime. One of Colonel Studebaker’s friends asks for Hilda’s help in investigating, since he was one of the last to see her alive. Since Hilda has been successful solving several past murders, the Studebakers give her a week off to investigate. Hilda recommends her younger sister fill in for her as housemaid, which helps the Studebaker family in turn.
Each day Hilda braves fierce cold and heavy snowstorms to meet and question people to learn about the victim. Hilda uses her ample common sense to question servants in places the victim went, as well as to follow up on a suspicious man seen in the vicinity of the crime. Hilda can’t speak Polish to question an immigrant, so she asks a Polish friend in the police to translate. He’s glad to help due to Hilda’s reputation for solving murders. When Hilda learns of the victim’s mother’s dire poverty, she gets the church and the Studebakers to help provide food and clothing.
Patrick brings Hilda fantastic news for their future. When Hilda sees and then has to hide from a possible killer, she finds refuge (and a huge welcome) with Patrick’s uncle and aunt, where she gets a first taste of living in luxury.
Hilda solves the murder, faces down the killer, benefits those she meets, and has a very happy ending of her own.
The story is based on a real-life unsolved January 1904 murder in Bedford, Indiana.
Hilda’s attention to details and her positive attitude make her a valued asset to the household staff. She’s also very talented at ferreting out clues to solve mysteries. She knows how to listen empathetically in a conversation, so even new acquaintances open up to her and reveal what they know about a person or situation she’s investigating.
Hilda is in love with Patrick Cavanaugh, an Irishman working at the fire station. Significant obstacles to marriage include lack of money, different religions, and family disapproval (due to nationality and religion). Hilda and Patrick are working hard to save money for their future; Hilda worries about their difference in religion.
One day Hilda’s younger brother Erik interrupts her work with the news his schoolteacher is missing. Soon after, the local newspapers report the woman was the victim of violent crime. One of Colonel Studebaker’s friends asks for Hilda’s help in investigating, since he was one of the last to see her alive. Since Hilda has been successful solving several past murders, the Studebakers give her a week off to investigate. Hilda recommends her younger sister fill in for her as housemaid, which helps the Studebaker family in turn.
Each day Hilda braves fierce cold and heavy snowstorms to meet and question people to learn about the victim. Hilda uses her ample common sense to question servants in places the victim went, as well as to follow up on a suspicious man seen in the vicinity of the crime. Hilda can’t speak Polish to question an immigrant, so she asks a Polish friend in the police to translate. He’s glad to help due to Hilda’s reputation for solving murders. When Hilda learns of the victim’s mother’s dire poverty, she gets the church and the Studebakers to help provide food and clothing.
Patrick brings Hilda fantastic news for their future. When Hilda sees and then has to hide from a possible killer, she finds refuge (and a huge welcome) with Patrick’s uncle and aunt, where she gets a first taste of living in luxury.
Hilda solves the murder, faces down the killer, benefits those she meets, and has a very happy ending of her own.
The story is based on a real-life unsolved January 1904 murder in Bedford, Indiana.
May 27, 2009
Based on a 1904 unsolved murder case, Crimson Snow weaves immigrant life, class and ethnic tensions into a taut drama centered around the Studebaker mansion in South Bend, Indiana. Hilda Johansson, a Studebaker housemaid, doesn't want to look into the murder of her brother's sixth-grade teacher. She leads a demanding life, and her Irish sweetheart is pressing her for marriage. But when an influential attorney urges her to clear his name, she must involve herself in a dangerous web of scandal and intrigue. Mystery and history buffs alike will welcome this new entry from an ever-captivating author who effortlessly weaves disparate threads through her plots, from child labor, literacy, prostitution, class, the history of the automobile and the Pinkertons
Cozy mystery
Titles in the Hilda Johansson series:
Book 1 Death in lacquer red
Book 2 Red, white, and blue murder
Book 3 Green grow the victims
Book 4 Silence is golden
Book 5 Crimson snow
Book 6 Indigo Christmas
Cozy mystery
Titles in the Hilda Johansson series:
Book 1 Death in lacquer red
Book 2 Red, white, and blue murder
Book 3 Green grow the victims
Book 4 Silence is golden
Book 5 Crimson snow
Book 6 Indigo Christmas
October 11, 2013
Hilda Johansson is working as a maid in the Studebaker mansion and her Irish sweetheart is pressing her for marriage when her youngest brother asks her to look into the murder of his schoolteacher. She has previously solved other crimes in South Bend, Indiana, and Erik begs her to solve this one. Life is complicated enough, but when an influential attorney, friend of her employer, urges her to clear his name in the murder investigation of the teacher, she has little choice to take on the challenge.
Dams takes the reader into the Studebaker mansion to witness the staff interact with each other and their employers. Food is especially emphasized both at the mansion and in the homes of Hilda's Swedish family and Patrick's Irish one. The greatly varying weather conditions are also stressed: cloying heat in summer and ice and snow in winter. This is a delightful series taking place in the early 1900s.
Dams takes the reader into the Studebaker mansion to witness the staff interact with each other and their employers. Food is especially emphasized both at the mansion and in the homes of Hilda's Swedish family and Patrick's Irish one. The greatly varying weather conditions are also stressed: cloying heat in summer and ice and snow in winter. This is a delightful series taking place in the early 1900s.
September 15, 2016
While I found the book readable with acceptable pacing, it ended up being just okay for me. Perhaps because I haven't read the other books with Hilda Johansson as the protagonist, I found the characters lacking in any real substance or depth; which was a shame, because some of the themes of those characters - servant class versus rich class; immigrant groups adjusting to life in America and prejudices against them, while also having prejudices against other immigrant groups - would have been interesting for greater exploration.
But it doesn't happen, because there is a murder to solve. Or because Hilda has her future plans with her eventual fiance Patrick to discuss and sort through. Or because the butler may die. The book just seems to get distracted from itself and meanders among them without getting any deeper into any of them. It's disappointing because there feels like there is so much that could be explored and developed, but the book fell short for me.
But it doesn't happen, because there is a murder to solve. Or because Hilda has her future plans with her eventual fiance Patrick to discuss and sort through. Or because the butler may die. The book just seems to get distracted from itself and meanders among them without getting any deeper into any of them. It's disappointing because there feels like there is so much that could be explored and developed, but the book fell short for me.
January 13, 2014
This is my latest foray into the life of Hilda Johannson mysteries. I will be sad when I complete the series. This historical mystery is based on a true murder in 1908 in Bedford, Indiana but the locale is changed to South Bend in this book. Hilda continues her work as a maid in the wealthy Studebaker home, but her prowess as a detective is becoming well known. Immigrant life as well as class and religious tensions are brought to light. I found this a very enjoyable read.
May 21, 2009
I would say this is less of a mystery and more of a tame historical romance with light mystery. There was a lot of focus on Hilda being a Swedish immigrant in this great country of America where the opportunities are endless. Nice, but not gripping for me.
August 15, 2011
Hilda Johannson becomes involved in another murder. This time the teacher of her younger brother Eric. Many changes are coming in Hilda's life as her relationship with Patrick changes. An interesting story set in South Bend Indiana at the turn of the twentieth century.
April 2, 2013
Fun. Like a less damaged, pre-WWI, Swedish-American Maisie Dobbs.
August 3, 2009
Hilda #5
Read
November 28, 2015good mystery.
Read
May 12, 2018I love the Hilda Johansson stories - I wish Ms. Dams could find a publisher willing to continue the series!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews