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 Award

Talk 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