Silence Is Golden

Hilda Johansson #4

by Jeanne M. Dams

Once upon a time isn't all it is cracked up to be. Hilda Johansson, the sleuth in Jeanne M. Dams's turn-of-the-century novels, is the perfect observer and commentator; as a maid in the Studebaker household in South Bend, Indiana, Hilda sees what's going on among the rich, suffers what's going on among the less fortunate....and presents it all with an eye as keen as that of Jacob Riis.Hilda's situation hasn't improved much, even though she's solved several murders: with her entire family of seven living in a small house, the happiness she expected to find when they were reunited is sorely lacking -- particularly since her mother doesn't approve of Hilda's relationship with Irish Catholic Patrick Cavanaugh. Worse, her twelve-year-old brother Eric hates city life; he has been fired from a number of jobs and is increasingly restless under his overly protective mother's thumb. Then Eric's friend, who had run away to join the circus, is found beaten...and perhaps worse. The news is shocking; frightening is the idea that Eric might know more than he's saying.

Hilda Johansson has always been a mirror held up to her society and, by extension, to our own. In writing of her, Jeanne M. Dams continues to explore motives as relevant today as in the period she describes with such attention to detail, to period color, and to the human heart.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction

226 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jeanne 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.

Reviews

[Nolan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps the problem is I joined this farther down in the series than at the beginning. It's conceivable that had I read the first three books, I would have been somewhat more emotionally invested in the characters. As it was, I simply couldn't get all that concerned about their welfare and lives.

It's the early 20th century as this book opens, and Hilda, whose family came here from Sweden only a few years earlier, is laboring as a maid in the home of one of South Bend, Indiana's wealthy residents. The young son of Hilda's neighbor has gone missing, and it appears he has been kidnapped by a circus which had recently come to town. This is similar to another case in a not-too-distant community in which the young man was sodomized and murdered. The issue becomes close to home for Hilda when her 12-year-old brother decides he would prefer the more exciting world of the circus to the increasing urbanization of South Bend.

I've made this sound way darker than it is; the author doesn't go into great detail about what happens to the missing boys; there's no profanity here to speak of, and there are no descriptions of sexual scenes. I would probably classify this as a slightly dark cozy.

[Lyn Soulia-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these books. Not sure if its because the location or the full book. I enjoy Hilda, she has a way of getting done things that need to be taken care of and a stubborn resolve. This book covered a topic that you wouldn't of heard of back then which was amazing in how it was handled. I lived in South Bend for many years before returning home. Remembering the history of the area and locations mentioned was fun and entertaining.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Nice mystery series, set in South Bend.

#4 in the series finds Hilda & Patrick searching for the killer of young boys. With the circus in and out of towns in the area, as well as youth gangs and hoboes, there are plenty of clues to follow.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot was a little thin and it was pretty easy to see who the culprit was.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gruesome mystery set in the South Bend, Indiana area. It has a good plot and my family lived in that area. Interesting

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued with the book and felt that part of it was the characters were Swedish. I will be looking for more of the Hilda Johansson series. It did seem that this was a stand alone book.

[Padgett Ratings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Dams Blew my friken socks off!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilda's younger brother is not adjusting well to America. He keeps running way and sees child abuse of the worst kind.
Interesting views of Irish vs Swedish immegrants and how the police are distrusted.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running away to join the circus may have been the dream of many a small boy, but it some cases, it proved to be a deadly choice. In this fourth installment in this entertaining series, Hilda is pulled in several directions. She must be very good at her job as a maid, if she wishes to keep on working at the Studebaker mansion. Though her mother and siblings have all been reunited in South Bend, the cozy, united family they were in Sweden has not been replicated in the United States. Her family doesn’t approve of her relationship with Patrick, her boyfriend. Her youngest brother, Eric, is not happy with his life in the city. Then a friend of Eric’s runs away to join the circus and is found abused and beaten. When Eric sees something he shouldn’t have, he, too, runs away. It’s up to Hilda to figure things out, and bring comport to her family, if, indeed that is even possible in their new lives. Author Jeanne M. Dams has written a thought-provoking story of historical interest, illustrating the difficulties immigrants had adapting to new lives that could be especially cruel to children.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book number four in the Hilda Johansson series continues the story of Hilda who works as a maid in the Studebaker house in South Bend, Indiana. The rest of her family have immigrated from Sweden and all is going well except for her youngest brother. Eric her twelve-year-old bother doesn't like city life after living on a farm and has been fired from several jobs. He contemplates running away and then his best friend ran away to join a circus and is found beaten and abused. The news is shocking and then Hilda suspects that he knows much more about the incident than he had admitted. When Patrick, Hilda's Catholic friend, take Eric to the circus, they discover just how much he knows and that his silence may save his life.

The best thing about Dams stories is how much actual history about South Bend she manages to incorporate into the main plot. If you enjoy a great mystery and historical detail, you will surely enjoy this series.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1903 and Hilda Johanssen goes off to the circus with her beau Patrick and her young brother Erick newly arrived in America. They marvel at all the circus has to offer, but then tragedy hits the circus-a young boy is found dead. And begins Indiana author Dams mystery. This by far, from what this reviewer can say is her best novel as it seems to be well paced and as I was reading I wanted to know more. I also wanted to know who killed the boy. It was pretty gripping and the ending was a surprise that is for sure-never saw that one coming. Also, its fascinating to see South Bend Indiana in 1903 through Hilda's eyes. A good quick summer read is this book.

[Mary Newcomb]

Hilda's brother, Eric, is having trouble adjusting to life in South Bend. At 12, he has trouble holding a job and starts to run with the wrong crowd. Then the circus comes to town and boys are harmed. This complicated mystery shines a light on some difficult issues of 1902 on the immigrant side of town.

[Bobbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know how sometimes you start reading a book and somewhere along the way you think "this sucks" but you keep reading it anyway just to finish the book. Well, that's what this book was for me. Storyline is trite and predictable, characters have no depth, etc..

[Pithee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read by Kate Reading

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilda #4

[Helenk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoy this series. This time period is seldom written about particularly from the servant's viewpoint in Indiana--1903. Without giving too much away the subject matter is unusual as well.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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