The Silk Train Murder - John Granville & Emily Turner Historical Mystery Series, #1

It's 1899, and when his best friend is arrested for the murder of a notorious gangster, gentleman adventurer John Granville is determined to hunt down the real killer. To save his friend, Granville must dive into the seedy side of the city-the burlesque halls, gambling joints, and opium dens that line reeking mudflats. He finds allies along the way, including Emily Turner, the emancipated daughter of a very Victorian father.
But with a fortune in Klondike gold and Chinese silk at stake, no-one is safe. Set on the Northwest Coast during the Klondike Era-when Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco were gateways for Klondike gold and Chinese silk, The Silk Train Murder features strong characters and a well-researched and lively story. Finalist for an Arthur Ellis First Novel AwardTalk about a big, bubbling stewpot of a book! .
Rowse, a first-time novelist, has delivered a wild ride through a colorful, relatively unknown period in North American history, and she's populated it with a host of unforgettable characters. Her protagonist, the Honorable Granville, makes an appealing leading man, and his lady love, the liberated Emily Turner, provides the perfect romantic coda to this rip-roaring adventure - Mystery Scene Review"The Silk Train Murder establishes its scene and details well, with a good ticking-clock pace and hero haunted by his guilt over a friend's death as well as his loyalty to Sam and his sense of justice." -  Historical Novel Review"A well-researched and lively story" - Seattle Times