A Wordless Death

Adele Gossling Mysteries #2

by Tam May

Is the death of a lonely schoolteacher suicide or something more sinister?

Adele Gossling is adjusting well to small-town life after the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. Despite her progressive ideas about women and her unladylike business acumen when it comes to her stationery shop, even Arrojo’s most prominent citizens are beginning to accept her. Provided she sticks with stamps and letter paper and stays out of police business, that is.

But that’s just what she can’t do when Millie Gibb, the new teacher at the local girl’s school, is found dead in her boarding house room and everybody in town assumes the death of a plain-faced, unmarried spinster could only be suicide. After all, what enemies could a harmless woman like that have?

Adele and her clairvoyant friend Nin intend to find out. But can they prove Millie’s death was foul play based on a cigar stub, a letter fragment, an envelope, and a cigarette lighter before the case is closed for good?

Genres: Historical Fiction

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Writing has been Tam’s voice since the age of fourteen. She writes stories set in the past featuring sassy but sensitive women characters. Readers share the experience of women struggling to carve out an identity for themselves during eras when their options were limited. Her stories are set mostly around the Bay Area because she adores sourdough bread, Ghirardelli chocolate, and San Francisco history.

Tam is the author of the Adele Gossling Mysteries, which takes place in the early 20th century and features suffragist and epistolary expert Adele Gossling, whose talent for solving crimes doesn’t sit well with her small town’s conventional ideas about women. Tam also has a new series, the Grave Sisters Mysteries, about three sisters who own a funeral home and help the county D.A. solve crimes in a 1920s small California town.

In addition, Tam writes historical fiction about women breaking loose from the social expectations of their time. She has a 4-book series set in the 1890s, the Waxwood Series, and a post-World War II short story collection, *Lessons From My Mother’s Life*.

Although Tam left her heart in San Francisco, she lives in the Midwest because it’s cheaper. When she’s not writing, she’s devouring everything classic (books, films, art, music), concocting yummy plant-based dishes, and exploring her riverside town.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adele Gossling hasn’t had much time to rest after her former neighbor and potential friend was found dead in her yard. After a strange encounter with local teacher Miss Gibb at the post office one morning, during which her impatience and the postmaster’s cantankerousness moods clash, Adele has reason to feel concern as Miss Gibb is soon dead in her boarding house room.
Adele’s brother Jackson is now a member of Arrojo’s small police force, but he’s still nursing some misgivings about this brave new century and independent women. A woman who isn’t a homemaker and mother must be unfulfilled in life, and therefore unhappy, and maybe unhappy enough to end her own misery. Lacking definitive proof of foul play. Miss Gibb’s case is put to rest. Adele isn’t sure about that, and with the urging of one of the boarding house residents eagerly sets out to learn the truth of the matter.
Adele and her friend Nin connive their way onto the scene of the crime as well as into the evidence files and begin to unravel a cruel and twisted murder mystery that can’t be ignored.
It’s time to put to rest the notion that a woman with foiled aspirations to rise in her career must be suicidal. Adele and Nin are living examples of independent and content modern women, and crusaders of justice. With snappy and acerbic dialog, May gives readers a quirky and strong female sleuth for the Modern Age. I await Adele’s next adventure.

[Geetha Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had previously read the first book of this series and had enjoyed it. This one didn't disappoint at all. Adele is in the thick of another murder mystery, but the only problem is no one except her believes it's a murder.

The deceased is a schoolteacher who was unmarried, in her forties and unattractive to look at. It has led everyone to believe that her death by arsenic is suicide because her life is bleak, and she has nothing left to live for. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, Sheriff Hatfield is forced to rule in favour of suicide and close the case.

But Adele isn't ready to give up. With Nin's help, she seeks out the truth behind Miss Gibbs' death, flying in the face of her disapproving brother and the other women of the Arrojo community. But she has no evidence, only a gut feeling, but how much of it is her instinct and how much her desire to prove that a spinster can have ambitions other than marriage?

As in the previous book, this one is also filled with social commentary of the times and of women's places in it. Adele's brother, Jackson, is a fine example of the men of the times, who while willing to indulge his sister to some reasonable extent, looks down on her and disapproves of her meddling in cases even when the sheriff has specifically asked for her.

There are more hints as to the difference between Adele's and Jackson's relationships with their father, and Adele is still oblivious to the trauma their father had inflicted on her brother, just as Jackson is oblivious to Adele's intelligence and analytical mind.

For those who love historical fiction and mysteries, this is a must read.

[Kathleen Becker]

Adele Gossling and her brother, Jackson work together to solve a murder which looks like a suicide. Jackson is a deputy sheriff in Arrojo, California. They have left Sacramento because of the death of their father who has left them 'well off,' and escape the big city atmosphere of Sacramento that is stifling to Adele.
Adele is in favor of the suffragette movement but doesn't condone violence. She owns an upscale stationary shop downtown and many of the "old fashioned" ladies of the town think it is scandalous that she works in trade plus helping the sheriff and her brother solve crimes.
The novel gives a more modern look at the early 1900's in California giving Adele current day ideas and methods. Adele is very kind hearted to those less fortunate, and she tries not to lose her temper when her brother doesn't give her the credit she is due since she is not an officer.
Enjoyed this novel very much. Characters are well developed, I can envision the small town of Arrojo, and admired Adele for her tenacity to right what is wrong.

[Anne Kavcic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adele Gossling and her brother Jackson, of a moderately well-off and well-educated family in San Francisco, live in 1903 in a small town inland in California called Arrojo. Adele has opened a stationery shop and her brother is a deputy sheriff; Adele used her good sense in the first book to help solve a murder. This time a teacher is found dead in her boardinghouse. Having met her the day before, very agitated, in the post office, Adele is most curious to help in this death with no outward signs. Suicide is the verdict; "the dust storm" say some, "an odd woman with no prospects" say others. Adele thinks otherwise, and is determined to bring justice to this lonely teacher. Lots of twists and turns and a startling conclusion. - Again, lots of history, including the suffragette movement, which adds to the atmosphere and makes the reader feel right at home and as if we are looking over everyone's shoulders. Recommended! - I received a review copy and freely leave this honest review.

[Dave Measner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adele and Nin have a chance meeting with Millie Gibb at the post office where she exhibits some unusual behavior. A few days later she is found dead in her room at the boarding house. Is her death an accident, suicide , or murder. While her brother leans to the suicide angle and the sheriff is undecided, Adele is more inclined to believe it's a case of murder. There ensues an investigation both with and outside of the police purvue.
A well constructed plot with many characters, not all of them very likeable, makes for a good read and an enjoyable mystery that delves into the thinking of a different time when people's views were not as enlightened as in modern times. I believe mystery readers and especially historical mystery buffs will like this book and I recommend it.
"Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book."

[Lonnia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters are well written. Adele & her brother, Jackson moved to Sacramento after the death of their father. Their inheritance has left them comfortably well off. Jackson is a deputy sheriff and Adele opened a stationary store. The time period is set during the women's suffrage movement. To the chagrin of her brother, Adele voices her opinion. A plain, not so pretty spinster teacher, Millie, is found dead in her boarding house room. No one seems to care if it is suicide or murder. Strong willed and minded Adele is determined to investigate to get justice for Millie. I liked this story.
"Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book".

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in the series but this one was a bit of a struggle and took me alot longer than usual to read because I stopped halfway thru to read a different book. Partly because I needed to finish it by the due date for returning to the library and partly because Del & Jackson were annoying me with their excessive emoting and overreacting to everything & everyone. The Sheriff remains a delight of reason and open mindedness, but I needed the break from Del taking offense at everything and Jackson being a small minded and bad tempered about everything especially everything Del &/or Nin do and say.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, hold on, what a tale! The last few chapters kept you on the edge of your chair! I had a feeling whodunit, but not their motive. Still, for someone who was not the friendliest person in the community, Adele did her justice, WTG girl!

Thanks to the author for providing this book for my honest review!
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Entertaining Easy-to-read Realistic Page-turner Original Tragic Wonderful characters Unpredictable Informative

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story. The main character is quite appealing, as is her closest friends. I will always admire intelligent and inquisitive women, no matter what era they are in. I am also big on justice, rather than revenge. The plot is easily followed, the characters are all very interesting, and I definitely enjoyed the story. I do recommend this book.

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Adele, Jackson & Sheriff Hatfield and how they investigate the death of a school teacher in Arrojo. Was it an accident, suicide, or murder? A WORDLESS DEATH is an excellent story with great characters; it just needs a bit more editing to catch typos and missing words.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Adele, Jackson & Sheriff Hatfield and how they investigate the death of a school teacher in Arrojo. Was it an accident, suicide, or murder? A WORDLESS DEATH is an excellent story with great characters; it just needs a bit more editing to catch typos and missing words.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie Gibbs, intelligent, modern ambitious and precise school teacher who has hope to better herself and not be stuck teaching detestable insolent children or embittered, discontent, miserable spinster, too plain to manage to trap a decent husband? Murder or suicide? Well, accident is out of the question and Adele cannot see that Millie was depressed enough to kill herself, so it can only be murder, can't it?

Another great read from May. I cannot help but like Adele and Nin, both stubborn and clever and brave enough to stand up for what they believe. How difficult it must have been for ladies in that era to have a voice and it is nice that there are enough people in Adele's life who are prepared to listen.