Cold Serial tells the true stories of five girls who were raped and murdered in the Dayton, Ohio, area between 1900 and 1909. They were victims not only of grizzly crimes, but of the prevailing sexism, horrifying working conditions, and lack of rights and police protection that all women of their time were forced to endure.

As the tragic stories unfold, a common thread begins to link them together. The deaths of these five girls left a legacy of better protections for women and more acceptance and recognition of their rights. Their cases led to the annexation of large areas into what is now modern-day Dayton, which initiated restructuring of the Dayton Police department. They also led to the creation of the first chamber of commerce in the United States. Cold Serial not only chronicles these harrowing cases, but illuminates how they influence the issues we still face today–such as sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination–as well as the historical impact religion, politics, and the media have had on the lives of women.