Shopgirl. Telephone operator. Lady's companion. Smashingly good secretary. All jobs that Dorothy Lundegaard possesses the skills to excel at. And even at the tail end of the Great Depression in St. Paul, Minnesota, all jobs that Dottie could secure for herself.

But, alas, none appeal to her. Her true calling, her vocation, remains the family business. She longs to follow in her father's private detective footsteps. Or at least assist her brother John as he strives to revive the agency after the death of their father.

As much as he might want her to pursue more conventional work, John Lundegaard again and again is forced to admit that his sister brings a perspective he needs. She can get into places that are closed off to him.

But mostly, she never takes no for an answer. And she never rests until the mystery is solved.

“The Dorothy Lundegaard Mysteries,” a collection of historical mystery short stories from Cate Martin.