Sunday, August 27, 2017

Bookish Thoughts: Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister

Like any Chicago tavern in deep summer, Joe Mulligan's stank. ~ Opening of Girl in Disguise


Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister, narrated by Stephanie Cozart
Sourcebooks Landmark. 2017
Fiction (Historical); 308 pgs

Goodreads Summary:

For the first female Pinkerton detective, respect is hard to come by. Danger, however, is not.

In the tumultuous years of the Civil War, the streets of Chicago offer a woman mostly danger and ruin-unless that woman is Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective and a desperate widow with a knack for manipulation.

Descending into undercover operations, Kate is able to infiltrate the seedy side of the city in ways her fellow detectives can't. She's a seductress, an exotic foreign medium, or a rich train passenger, all depending on the day and the robber, thief, or murderer she's been assigned to nab.

Inspired by the real story of Kate Warne, this spirited novel follows the detective's rise during one of the nation's greatest times of crisis, bringing to life a fiercely independent woman whose forgotten triumphs helped sway the fate of the country.

My knowledge of the Pinkerton Agency is very limited. My interest in history tends to lead me outside the U.S. all too often, I confess, something I have been working at changing. Just mentioning the words "first woman" and my ears perk up. Add in "operative" or "detective" to the end of that phrase, and I am sold. As it was, I loved Greer Macallister's The Magician's Lie, which I read a couple years ago. And so it was with eagerness that I pounced on Girl in Disguise as soon as it came out. I bought an e-copy of the book without remembering I had purchased the audio version too. With a long list of books stacked on my TBR pile already, I couldn't wait to dive in and opted to listen to it.

The novel jumps right in: Kate Warne on her first case, hoping to win an official spot on Allan Pinkerton's team. All she has to do is find out where the money is hidden. Kate proves to be more than capable. Not only is she charming, she is also smart and resourceful.

I really appreciated that Kate was not only tough and quick-witted, but also that she was humble and thoughtful. It is clear throughout the novel that her boss, Allan Pinkerton, admired and respected her. I know I did.

I am tempted to say my favorite part of the book were the pre-Civil War days, reading about Kate's various exploits and adventures and seeing her in action because her entire life was fascinating. What she lacked in skills initially, she was willing to learn and perfect. The ease with which Kate donned disguises and learned to use a weapon came with practice, but her charm was surely natural.

Kate's involvement in saving President-Elect Lincoln before his inauguration was tension-filled, and had me hanging on to every word. I had not realized the role the Pinkerton Detective Agency had played during the Civil War, nor it's being the foundation for the start of the Secret Service. The game certainly changed for Kate and her fellow operatives during the war--their main purpose to ferret out spies and to gather information as spies themselves. It was dangerous and deadly. Kate had to make compromises and hard choices.

Macallister captures the historical time period well; including the reception Kate Warne was likely to have received being a woman in a man's role. Not everyone welcomed her with open arms. She had to prove herself time after time.

Little is known about the real Kate Warne, including about her background and relationships. Macallister takes many liberties in both, and definitely uses it to her advantage adding depth and life to the characters in her book. I enjoyed listening to Girl in Disguise, and look forward to Greer Macallister's next book.

To learn more about Greer Macallister and her work, please visit the author's website.


© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

22 comments:

  1. I love characters like Kate -- breaking the mould entirely in a time you'd never think of.

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    1. Verushka - I do too. I love stories like this, especially when they are true!

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  2. I don't think I've heard of the Pinkerton agency, but it sounds fascinating (had to go google).

    Great review, now I have another book on my TBR list!

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    1. Eustacia - I was surprised to discover they are still around, although not in the form they once were. They have a mixed reputation in American history. I hope you enjoy this one of you do read it!

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  3. I really enjoyed her first book and this book is onto my wishlist as well. :)

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    1. Melody - I enjoyed her first one as well. I may have liked that one a tad bit better then this one, but this one is very good too, I think! I hope you enjoy it when you read it, Melody!

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  4. TERRIFIC review, Wendy!! I LOVE these lines: "Just mentioning the words "first woman" and my ears perk up. Add in "operative" or "detective" to the end of that phrase, and I am sold." ABSOLUTELY!! My own ears perk up, too, at those words! :) I'm always interested in books whose main characters are strong women!!

    As described in the summary, Kate Warne reminds me of Sherlock Holmes to some extent. He, too, was always donning disguises while solving crimes.

    How interesting that this novel is based on a real person, too! Now I'm going to Google Warne. I need to know more about her.

    I do have one little quibble about this book. I would have preferred the title "Woman In Disguise" instead. Oh, well....

    I'm glad you enjoyed this one! I'm adding it to my GR shelves, thanks to you!! HUGS TO YOU AND MOUSE!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)

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    1. Maria - Thank you! Kate Warne definitely qualifies as a strong woman in American history.

      I admit it crossed my mind to wonder about the title too--I think the publisher went with "Girl" because it is what is selling books right now--the whole Girl on the Train and Gone Girl trend that has lead to a ton of other books with "Girl" in the title.

      I hope you enjoy this one if you do read it, Maria!

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  5. Sounds like Kate is my kind of heroine, smart, tough, intrepid, and a little spunky. Gotta read this one! :)

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  6. I hadn't heard of this book before but it sounds wonderful. Kate is my kind of character!

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    1. Suzanne - I hope you are able to read this one. Kate's a great character.

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  7. How cool! I love books like this that does it's own twist on historical figures and times. I love history in general, all time periods. I just find it fascinating, and then seeing the comparisons to current events.

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    1. Christy - I love books like this too. I can't help but research the real life people as well as I am always curious how they compare and to find out the truth behind the fiction. But I love how historical fiction brings history to life.

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  8. I've read about Kate Warne! This one sounds good!

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    1. Jenclair - I enjoyed it. I have really liked both Macallister's books so far.

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  9. This sounds like a very interesting book. And I looooove that cover.

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    1. Maureen - I really like the cover as well, and love books like this. :-)

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  10. This sounds fantastic! I have seen this book but hadn't paid too much attention to it before. I am definitely going to try to get my hands on it now. Great review!

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    1. Carole - It is a good one. I admit it was the author that first drew me to this one, having read another of her books and loving it. I hope you do enjoy this one if you read it!

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  11. I know a little about the Pinkertons but clearly not enough! This sounds amazing! And that cover! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I think in my head I had this classified more as a straightforward mystery so I'm really intrigued to hear that it's almost more of a biography and I love that it's inspired by a true person. Definitely going on my TBR!

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    1. Katherine - I thought the same thing! I was excited to listen to this one. I remember going into her other book, The Magician's Lie, expecting a mystery and being surprised it wasn't. This one obviously isn't either, but it would be easy to think that given the title and what Kate does for a living. I hope you do get a chance to read this one!

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