Review: A Girl Like You (Henrietta and Inspector Howard #1) by Michelle Cox

Henrietta von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar on Chicago's northwest side. It's 1935, but things still aren't looking up since the big crash and her father's subsequent suicide, leaving Henrietta to care for her antagonistic mother and younger siblings. Henrietta is eventually persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall - and just when she's beginning to enjoy herself, the floor matron turns up dead.

When aloof Inspector Clive Howard appears on the scene, Henrietta agrees to go undercover for him and is plunged into Chicago's grittier underworld.

Meanwhile, she's still busy playing mother hen to her younger siblings, as well as to pesky neighborhood boy Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and keeps popping up in the most unlikely places, determined to keep Henrietta safe even from the Inspector, if need be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector's investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

Paperback, 288 pages 

Published April 19th 2016 

by She Writes Press
*** (I liked it)

A Girl Like You is the first book in series, with book 2 (A Ring of Truth) available and book 3 coming soon.  The time period here is one I read a lot of but usually pertaining to the war, this was a refreshing change to get a glimpse of the seedy side of Chicago.  A learning experience also since I have never heard of a '26 girl' or 'taxi dancer'.  

Henrietta is a likable character, in her late teens I found her to be somewhat naive even though taking jobs at disreputable places.  But her desire to take care of her family is what drove her there.

The author painted a picture of the struggles society faced post depression and it wasn't hard to sympathize with Henrietta and her family's plight.  The mystery was interesting with a few twists and turns, even though I figured some things out the unveiling kept my attention.  I will continue with this series and will recommend this book to those that like a quick read with suspense and mystery.

This book is from my personal library.

Review: The Woman in the Camphor Trunk: An Anna Blanc Mystery (Anna Blanc Mysteries #2) by Jennifer Kincheloe

Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. Her lover has fled. If news gets out that a white woman was murdered in Chinatown, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna plan to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret. So does good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent Chinese leader who has mixed feelings about helping the LAPD and about Anna.

 Meanwhile, the Hop Sing tong has kidnapped two slave girls from the Bing Kong tong, fueling existing tensions. They are poised on the verge of a bloody tong war that would put all Chinatown residents in danger.

 Joe orders Anna out of Chinatown to keep her safe, but to atone for her own family's sins, Anna must stay to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.

 Paperback, 304 pages 

Published November 14th 2017 

by Seventh Street Books / Prometheus Books

****

I love Anna Blanc! Ever since I finished reading The Secret Life of Anna Blanc I have been keeping an eye for the sequel, because yes there had to be a sequel, the author couldn’t leave us readers hanging - wondering what happened between her and Detective Joe Singer.

Who is Anna Blanc? She is a woman ahead of her time, she doesn’t want to confirm to her father’s wishes and thus now struggles while living on her own. It isn’t easy but she is determined. She is innocent yet spunky, has some of the strangest thought patterns and rationale I’ve ever seen. Her powers of reasoning are some that had me smiling and shaking my head at the same time. Witty, irresponsible and impulsive but at the same time caring and determined. She would rather be a detective than an Assistant Matron for the police department no matter had many feathers she ruffles.

So that’s Anna Blanc in a nutshell! Now add her to Chinatown in 1908 where mystery, murder and mayhem run amuck and you’ve got a great story. Written with the same wit that I enjoyed in book 1, I recommend reading The Secret Life of Anna Blanc first, you’ll get a better picture of who Anna is and what makes her tick.

The Woman in the Camphor Truck is based on real historical events, some of names, dates and locations have been modified to work together (author notes, yea!). There were twists and turns which kept me on my toes.  All in all a very entertaining read.  Definitely a series I recommend.

Thanks to Prometheus Books for an ARC and Jennifer Kincheloe (whom I had the privilege of meeting last month, but in no way affects this review).

click on cover to take you to my review