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A Death at the Rose Paperworks

by M. J. Zellnik

A Death at the Rose Paperworks is the second volume featuring Libby Seale back in 1894. The setting is Portland Oregon, and once again M.J. Zelnik has scored a successful hit with the tale of a gruesome death and a subplot of blocked romance. Reason for that blockage forces us to remember that beliefs were quite different back then! Choosing between love and any particular faith might remain a problem for a few of us today, but most would have no difficulty with such a decision – or bother with any type of restrictive convention…

One of the few remaining white men (the majority of workers are now Chinese) at the Rose Paperworks discovers exactly why one of the major machines in the factory refuses to operate. And at first, everybody thinks the mutilated body Andrew Matson found is that of the owner, Hiram Rose himself. Speculation runs high, since support for the catwalk Mr. Rose often used was discovered to have been unobtrusively sawn through. Finally Hiram himself appears along with his brother-in-law, Augustus Fowler – from a business meeting. What's left of the body is later identified as that of the Rose' gardener and handyman, Matt Karlsson.

Hiram Rose, a wealthy man, has a number of people who wish him dead. A man with peremptory arrogance who loves control and expects everyone to accede to his command, he's actually loathed by the men he summarily dismissed from the paper mill in order to hire the cheaper Chinese. The police make two incorrect guesses – one that Matt was responsible for plotting to kill Rose, and the other that he used his older brother Dutch as an accomplice. Dutch had been among those let go from the paper mill.

Libby is working for both the Rose family and their neighbors the Fowlers next door as a seamstress, making dresses for both wives. She had earlier refused a marriage proposal from Peter Eberle (a reporter for the local newspaper) because not only was she still wedded to a Jewish man she'd run away from back East, but her family back there plus
her religion forbade divorce unless the man asked for it.

Both Libby and Peter are in love with each other, but since her refusal, Peter has remained distant. Now, with the new murder, Peter longs for the camaraderie they both shared previously when they solved a different case together at the Portland Variety theatre. He eventually persuades Libby to help him with this one, since she has access to the Rose home and could hear something valuable.

The murder offers so many suspects it's difficult to decide who the actual killer is, especially without any evidence. M.J. Zelnik proves no slouch when the murderer is at last revealed – since it's a total surprise. The writing and research for Death at the Rose Paperworks is every bit as good as M. J. Zelnik's first novel, which is unusual, and I can recommend it without compunction.

Alan Paul Curtis

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