Miss Dimple Suspects: A Mystery (Miss Dimple Mysteries)
This WWII–era Georgia mystery begins with a missing sick child. First-grade teacher Miss Dimple finds the child in a winter storm and takes her to shelter at the cabin of a reclusive artist. When the artist is found murdered soon afterwards, Miss Dimple does not believe, as everyone else in the small town does, that the artist’s Asian companion, Suzy, is the killer. Suzy, whose Japanese family members are being held in an American internment camp, worries about the chances of anyone believing in her innocence. Miss Dimple and her friends hide Suzy and begin asking questions, which puts them in serious danger. There is plenty of period detail, with Miss Dimple’s fellow teacher sleuths discussing rationing and writing to overseas fiancés. The wartime setting will appeal to a wide range of readers. The strong female characters of all ages are similar in manner to those in Tracy Kiely’s Elizabeth Parker mysteries, despite that series being set in a different era. --Amy Alessio