The Longer the Thread by Emma Lathen

The political situation in Puerto Rico was definitely not good. A referendum was going to be held on whether Puerto Rico should remain a commonwealth or should become a state or even to declare its independence from the United States. Anti-American sentiment was running high. This was possibly not the best time for the Sloan Guarantee Trust to become involved in Puerto Rico, but they did by loaning three million dollars to Slax Unlimited, Ltd., a manufacturer of ladies sportswear. Slax had its headquarters in the US, but its manufacturing plant was in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

The problems at Slax started with the white slacks which were decorated with navy blue thread. Purchasers in US found that the blue thread was not colorfast and returned the slacks. Then other problems developed which could only indicate industrial sabotage. Fabric in the warehouse was splashed with acid, and sand was put into the oil for the machines which produced the garments.

When the Sloan found that not only had it invested in Slax, but also in five other companies on the island, vice-president John Putnam Thatcher was dispatched to find out what was going on. Shortly after Thatcher arrived on the island, Benito Dominguez, the overseer of the production line, was murdered in the management office. Dominguez was found to be carrying a membership card for a radical organization, The Radical Independents, and a handful of sand which would link him to the sabotage.

Then the Slax workers went out on strike. Management called in Anna Luisa Galiano who is the most delightful character in the book. She is a force and has an incredible ability to settle strikes. She had been a power in the Ladies Garment Workers Union for twenty five years, and had improved life and working conditions for Puerto Rican workers in New York's garment district. She would now manage a settlement in Puerto Rico.

You may find it hard to believe but things will now get worse for Slax. I will not spoil your enjoyment of the book by detailing all of the things which will go wrong for this company. But rest assured that John Putnam Thatcher will find the responsible parties.

I am a great fan of Emma Lathen's financial mysteries. This book was published in 1971, but the issue of whether Puerto Rico remains a commonwealth, becomes a state, or declares independence is still there. Now also Puerto Rico has big financial problems.