A 2024 Shamus-award nominee
May, 1943
Betty Ahern is studying for her private investigator’s license when a new client—Edward Kettle—hires her to clear his name after he was dismissed from his job at the American Shipbuilding Company. When Edward is brutally murdered, the dead man’s sister hires Betty to finish the original job and find the killer.
The job hurls Betty back into the world of wartime espionage, but with a twist: Edward Kettle was a homosexual. Did he know something about underhanded activities at American Shipbuilding? Or was his secret life the motive for murder?
Once again, Betty must unravel the mystery, which requires uncovering truths that others would prefer to keep hidden—a job that threatens not only her morals and beliefs, but also her life.
What people are saying
“Budding private investigator Betty Ahern takes on a new case that has her questioning her own belief system and prejudices in this charming, thought-provoking, and impeccably researched historical mystery set in World War II era Buffalo. This superbly crafted mystery provides the perfect entry point to Milliron’s Home Front Mysteries.”
— Edwin Hill, author of The Secrets We Share
“In The Truth We Hide, Milliron captures the snappy pace of 1940s P. I. thrillers with sharp dialogue and delicious period detail. Unlike most detective fiction of the time, she explores the homophobia embedded in the period and in her layered protagonist, Betty Ahern. Will Betty see past her upbringing to acceptance? It’s the mystery underneath the mystery of this engaging novel.”
—John Copenhaver, award-winning author of The Savage Kind
ISBN: 978-1-68512-313-0