Toronto, 1895. When the body of a servant girl is found naked and frozen in a quiet lane, Detective William Murdoch—prompted by pity for the victim and by his desire for promotion—is determined to pursue every lead. Though influential people bring pressure on the police to solve the crime quickly, when the body is identified—and the autopsy reveals that she was pregnant—it becomes clear that many of those connected to the girl have secrets to hide. First published in 1997, Maureen Jennings's debut novel in the series was the inspiration for the first episode of the ongoing Canadian television show Murdoch Mysteries.