The Case of the Swindled Suffragist

Harriet Morrow, a spunky, bike-riding, independent, lesbian P.I. in turn-of-the-20th century Chicago, must infiltrate a group of suffragettes in order to recover a snatched fortune, inspired by a real-life Windy City detective from Lefty Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Rob Osler.

Chicago, 1899. Chicago detective Harriet Morrow’s new assignment is strictly confidential. Suffragette Helen Breitweiss entrusted her family jewels to her dashing piano teacher, Alan Phelps. The plan was for him to sell them so they could run off together with a hefty fortune. Phelps did run off—without Helen—only to fall to his death from the sixth-floor window of a luxury hotel. Harriet’s job: recover the jewels as discreetly as possible before anyone on the mansion-lined south side, especially Helen’s husband, gets wind of her desperate scheme.

Inquiries along Jewelers’ Row yield nothing for Harriet, yet a visit to Phelps’s hotel room does: a single diamond earring, questions about the true identity of the defenestrated swindler, and a growing list of suspects, including three of his other female students, all members of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association. Complicating matters further, Phelps’s only known friend, a fellow English immigrant, has disappeared without a trace.

Unraveling the mystery of which of Phelps’s students had reason to kill him takes Harriet to rowdy suffragist meetings, an exclusive haberdashery, dicey red-light district saloons, and the sinister inner circles of Chicago’s underworld. Harriet needs to be at her sharpest if she is to reclaim Helen’s jewelry and avoid the same fate as the charismatic piano teacher. Whoever he really was . . .

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs