Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

MY  REVIEW
This is such a delightful tale with some twists and turns of the plot that make it a page turner. Cox did her homework in checking facts concerning the Pinkertons' hiring women as detectives which makes for a much more plausible plot.

The characters are not as well-defined as in other stories I've read recently, but they are more than two-dimensional figures and a flat world. Descriptions are good with just enough detail to get the taste of dust in your mouth or the heat of the sun on your back, but not so much to drag the story flow to a halt. She has a gift for describing costumes and how they transform appearances that helps the reader to know who is who without getting confused. It is clear and concise, with enough detail to help the imagination run with coloring the scenes for a vivid picture of the 1890s Arizona wild west.

The dialogue is good and practical. Characters act without being contrived so you feel comfortable with them, and you might even want to grab your knitting and have a cuppa with Lavinia on a warm afternoon while she watches from the open window of the hotel. Life in a small town is delicately drawn with close attention to how intricately lives intertwine in small towns.

Good storyline, good story telling. This one gets 4 out of 5 stars.
  
 

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Love in Disguise Bethany House Publishers (June 1, 2012) by Carol Cox

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Native Arizonan Carol Cox has an abiding love for history, mystery, and romance. The author of more than 25 books, she believes in the power of story to convey spiritual truths. Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where deer and antelope really do play--within view of the family's front porch.

A word from Carol:

As a native of Arizona, I have a longtime interest in the Southwest and its history. My family shares my love of the Old West, as evidenced by this photo taken back in the halcyon days before my son turned to a life of crime and started robbing trains for a living...


ABOUT THE BOOK

When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona.

Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love in Disguise, go HERE.