"Irene Ingram has written for her father's newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she's editor in chief, which doesn't sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene's worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs. An accident? That's what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to ...
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"Irene Ingram has written for her father's newspaper, the Progress Herald, ever since she could grasp a pencil. Now she's editor in chief, which doesn't sit well with the men in the newsroom. But proving her journalistic bona fides is the least of Irene's worries when crime reporter Moe Bauer, on the heels of a hot tip, turns up dead at the foot of his cellar stairs. An accident? That's what Police Chief Walt Turner thinks, and Irene is inclined to agree until she finds the note Moe discreetly left on her desk. He was on to a big story, he wrote. The robbery she'd assigned him to cover at Markowicz Hardware turned out to be something far more devious. A Jewish store owner in a small, provincial town, Sam Markowicz received a terrifying message from a stranger. Moe suspected that Sam is being threatened not only for who he is...but for what he knows. Tenacious Irene senses there's more to the Markowicz story, which she is all but certain led to Moe's murder. When she's not filling up column inches with the usual small-town fare--locals in uniform, victory gardens, and scrap drives--she and her best friend, scrappy secretary Peggy Reardon, search for clues. If they can find the killer, it'll be a scoop to stop the presses. But if they can't, Irene and Peggy may face an all-too-literal deadline."--Provided by publisher.
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Seller's Description:
New in new dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 304 p. A Homefront News Mystery. Audience: General/trade. New, unread, ships from Sacramento California
When her father enters the war effort as a news correspondent Irene Ingram takes over the editor's duties at his newspaper, The Progress Herald. The men at the paper are not pleased with the decision but she thinks she can bring them around. All their attention is diverted when one of their own goes missing and then later is found dead of an apparent accident. Irene isn't buying the police chief's determination. Moe was following a "big story" but failed to give Irene any details. There are also terrifying things happening around town including the owner of Markowicz Hardware being threatened. Could that be part of Moe's big story? Irene is determined to find out while reporting on local events. She has found the perfect Watson to her Sherlock too, her father's, now her secretary and best friend Peggy. They plan to get the scoop and write the killer write into a corner.
I really like the strong woman characters the author has created for this series. During World War II women filled in many jobs as the men went off to war from newspapers to the factories and more. Women were proving they could do jobs as well as men. Irene is a strong confident woman and she has to be to run a newspaper especially when another family member feels they should have been named editor. She is also worrying about her fiancee, a police officer before the war is training and waiting to be deployed.
Peggy is a strong woman too although she is in a more traditional job for her gender. She is always ready to help Irene in any way she can.
Irene interviews women working in a local factory and gets to know one pretty well when she starts boarding with Irene, her mother, and her sister. Irene's mother has a traditional point of view as well believing all women will gladly return to homemaking after the war. While her thinking isn't progressive she is strong in her own right keeping a roof over her family's head and food for them to eat while worrying about her husband and not knowing where he is.
These strong women are surrounded by a variety of characters. Town residents, shopkeepers, factory workers, and managers. All the characters are well written and well developed for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth as the series continues.
Ms. St. Anthony blends history and disturbing efforts by some radical groups as the backdrop for a rich mystery. I can tell she did her research by the clear picture she gives readers of what it was like being at home while the war was raging abroad. She weaves together a compelling story with twists and surprises. Irene was like a dog with a bone in her quest for answers. I was completely entertained by her process and fearless attitude even when she found herself in dangerous situations. I really enjoyed that each chapter started with a newspaper headline from The Progress Herald to keep the focus on the theme and the times.
Front Page Murder has set this series off on a fine start. Well-plotted and written with wonderful characters. A good fictional picture of a small town during wartime. I am looking forward to this series continuing with Death on a Deadline where the town of Progress continues to support the war effort.
