Mrs. Cook and the Klan

Tom Chorneau spent nearly thirty years as a journalist, including more than a decade as an investigative reporter for the Associated Press and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the author of three works of fiction, including Victim Eleven.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Hawkeyes from Dixie 2. The Bridge at Davenport 3. The Witches of Temperance 4. A Schoolhouse on Every Hilltop and No Saloon in the Valley 5. The Martyr of Sioux City 6. Oily Tongued Sharpers and Swindlers 7. The Mulct Law 8. God Hates the Four-Flusher 9. A Kill Fee 10. The Suffragists 11. Last Call in Marshalltown 12. The Hyphenated Americans 13. Wet to Dry Again 14. The Hangings at Camp Dodge 15. Shootout at the Carbarn CafE 16. America Is for Americans 17. Comes a Killer 18. The Investigation 19. The Prime Suspects 20. Who Killed Mrs. Cook? Notes Index

"Booze, law, politics, temperance, racism, and organized crime all converged one hundred years ago in Iowa. Tom Chorneau uncovers the origins of how each of these components became engrained in society, making a small Iowa town a microcosm of the broader country and dooming Mrs. Cook."-Brian Haara, author of Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America "Tom Chorneau's account of a century-old mystery murder also tells an exceptional history of Iowa and the nation emerging around it. Meticulously researched, this sweeping examination of liquor, politics, and Iowa society reveals an unforgettable cast of crooks, bosses, ministers, crusaders, and drinkers."-Laura and James Wasserman, authors of Who Saved the Redwoods? The Unsung Heroines of the 1920s Who Fought for Our Redwood Forests "Tom Chorneau's deeply researched book revives memories of the feverish battles in America's heartland over alcohol and race relations. This is a rich and entertaining history that is essential reading."-Ray Locker, author of Haig's Coup: How Richard Nixon's Closest Aide Forced Him from Office