The White Feather Killer by R.N. Morris

He's been moved out of the detective section into a dead end position as the person who checks out the many stories the cops have received about German spies.  World War I has just begun and anyone with a German heritage is being thought of as a traitor.  He has to report to a man he dislikes.

He manages to get away and look at the victim that has been found.  She has a white feather in her mouth.  The feathers were distributed at a meeting and their purpose was to shame any eligible boys into joining the services and going to war.  It signified a coward.  So why is it in her mouth?

Severn House and  Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on August 1st.

He's not supposed to be on the case but he begins investigating anyway.  The boss arrested a half-German American citizen and accuses him of her murder.  He won't listen to anyone else.  It makes good press because he's part German.

The good detective keeps looking.  There are several surprises in this story.  The dead girl's father commits suicide.  The butcher arrested is let out of jail and then there's another young woman's death nearer the butcher shop with a meat cleaver.  A young man looking for a missing girl takes a gun with him and ends up dead.  The killers are finally revealed and it's a surprise on all counts.  

This is a story that is sad and filled with bad news but it's a good mystery and reflects the effect of WWI.