S L Stoner

Bitter Cry S L Stoner

Progessive History With a Mystery Twist

The eight Sage Adair Mysteries are set in 1902, Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. These adventure stories highlight the positive changes made by that era's progressives at a time when wealth and power were concentrated in the hands of a few. One reviewer wrote: "Authentic and well-researched, these historical mysteries show a colorful and corrupt city full of complex and shady characters. Sage Adair is a secret operative who works on behalf of the growing labor movement, pursuing his mission into hobo jungles, lumber camps, seedy saloons and the drawing rooms of the rich. Using authentic historical details, the books show readers a different Portland (OR), a time when houses of prostitution flourished, illegal votes bought judges, and employer opposition to unions took the form of murder." The writing style is simple and spare. The principal characters, who are multi-racial and multi-ethnic, work collaboratively and optimistically.