In a small town in turn-of-the-century Colorado, a young woman has disappeared from the boarding-house where she lives. Her distraught fiancé is certain that she must have been kidnapped. But the case takes a new turn when a city detective appears on the scene, looking for a woman who matches the description of the missing girl. Was Charity really kidnapped, or did she have a reason to flee? Mrs. Meade, a gentle but shrewd widow lady who lives across the hall in the boarding-house, feels that there is something wrong with the story of Charity's disappearance...but can she unravel the mystery before it is too late?"The Silver Shawl" is a novelette, approximately 15,700 words.The Mrs. Meade Mysteries are a series of historical mystery shorts, each just the perfect length to accompany a cup of tea or coffee for a cozy afternoon. Fans of classic lady sleuths such as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple are sure to be delighted to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Meade, and history lovers will enjoy each quick trip back to the turn of the 20th century for the puzzles both quaint and dramatic which come her way.