Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley
Introduction
Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley is a story about two women, separated by time, but connected by the Torso Killer of Cleveland, Ohio. In April 1999, the police call Kris Wiley back to her hometown to identify the butchered remains of her father, Alfred. The clues she finds at her father’s house leads her back to Cleveland following the legacy of the Torso Killer. In March 1938, Ethel Harding finds herself in the middle of the Torso Killer’s rampage against the destitute brought down by the depression. She is a prostitute who loses her home and is desperate to find shelter. Kris and Ethel must solve the mystery of the Torso Killer or face their deaths.
Summary
In March 1938, Ethel Harding, a prostitute, finds herself homeless. It scares her. The Torso Killer has been killing destitute people from the hobo village at Kingsbury Run in Cleveland since 1935. Some victims are people she knows; Edward Andrassy, Flo Polillo, and Rose Wallace. Ethel is worried that she could be the killer’s next target. She finds sanctuary with the Harmony Mission. They run the Harmony Mission Press, a printing press that makes Bibles, but they are not what they seem. The Tremont Place Lofts inspired the Harmony Mission Press Building on West 7th Street. Sister Mary Alice Eberly and a mysterious girl help Ethel. Ethel suspects Brother Milton. She also becomes the target of the Silver Shirt Legion, a Nazi-sympathizing group organized to overthrow the government. Ethel pretends to be someone else to uncover the truth.
In April 1999, Kris Wiley goes to the Auglaize County Sherriff’s Office in Wapakoneta, Ohio to identify the remains of her father. They found a headless body along the river with her father’s identification. She doesn’t want to believe the body is her father’s. Her father was a medically discharged police officer. Ben was his partner with the police and best friend. Ben tries to console Kris and takes her to her hometown of Cridersville. Kris searches the house and finds her father had information about the Torso Killer and had been in contact with someone in Cleveland. She lives in Cleveland and goes back to investigate what her father knew. The clues lead to the abandoned Harmony Mission taken over by the homeless. Jimmy, who is living at the mission, helps Kris. As they get closer to the truth, their lives get in more danger.
Recommendation
Unclaimed Victim by Pulley connects two stories in this historical mystery. Ethel and Kris overcome their fears and face human demons. There are many theories about the identity of the Torso Killer and the author presents an interesting one here. I liked the author’s use of real newspaper articles from the 1930s to show the feelings of the people of that time. Of the six books referenced in the Author Notes, I have copies of three. I plan to find copies of the other three books.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Unclaimed Victim by DM Pulley
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35169492-the-unclaimed-victim
This is the link to my review of The Dead Key by DM Pulley.