To Disguise the Truth (The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency)

Jen Turano

Jan 2022 · Baker Books

About this ebook

When a man arrives at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire them to find a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her . . . and that she may no longer be able to hide under the disguise that has kept her safe for so long.

Arthur Livingston's goal in life is to make his mark on the world as a mining industrialist, but after the man who could help him achieve his goal is murdered, Arthur feels compelled to seek justice for the family--but he's left with more questions than answers after the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency refuses to take on his case.

Desperate to conceal her real identity and avoid the irritatingly handsome Arthur, Eunice takes on a different case that requires her to go deep undercover and entangles her in one troublesome situation after another. When other secrets come to light, Eunice has no choice but to confront her past, hopeful that it will set her free but knowing it could very well place her life--and the lives of those she loves--in jeopardy.

Ratings and reviews

HISTORICAL ROMANTIC COMEDY/MYSTERY-DRAMA *** 1887, New York. "Considering she'd once shot the man sitting across from her, Eunice Holbrook was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion her past had finally caught up with her." Great opening line and gorgeous cover! Arthur Livingston is a no-nonsense, black and white sort of aristocrat; or at least he thinks so, until he reunites with the one woman who tends to unhinge him. Eunice co-runs the Bleaker Street Inquiry Agency and is rather headstrong and direct. These two have several wonderful arguments and join forces to solve a long past murder. The part of the book where she goes undercover in had my gut clenching. I was rather glad it was not the major focus of the book because the conditions were abysmal. I enjoyed the twists and turns with her family members and their reuniting. The amount of money these people had was catastrophic even by today's standards! I was drawn to Chase Livingston, Arthur's younger brother {"I've always been old for my years, and I spend countless hours counseling men and women when I volunteer at a mission in Five Points."}, as well as their whimsical, eighty-two-year-old grandfather {"I don't believe I've ever seen a lady flee from you before. I suppose it's not very grandfatherly of me to admit that I found that amusing, but that was very amusing indeed," Lloyd said, his eyes twinkling}. I hope we hear more of them in a future series. I also enjoyed the star Pinkerton, Agent Cooper who has returned. I love that he trains the girls in self-defense and that female agents are proficient in firearms. "The pistol was mine. It's a very distinctive pistol, silver with an inlaid handle of mother of pearl and my initials carved into it..." There's also a bit of society and a bit of the old west in the book which was a fun change of scenery. *** Very few faith or tea moments this time. I could always do with more of those! ;) *** Very good read, 4 stars *** I was gifted a copy of this book for my honest opinion which is mine alone and without compensation or further expectation.

Of course this book is excellently written and has the expected cast of quirky characters. Jan Turano does a remarkable job of developing them for each book. There is a certain amount of humor in each book as is Turano style. This one revolves around a search for a missing woman who does not want to be found. But she must be found before her birthday as she is to inherit her grandfather’s mines. Not only that but she must return to Montana in order to prove to her greedy relatives that she is alive and well and to receive her inheritance, as they are hoping to prove her dead and claim the inheritance. She understandably balks. Someone murdered her grandfather seven years prior and she fears that person will also kill her. There are so many twists and turns in this book that you will certainly be well entertained. Also it ends quite differently from what one expects….I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own

This is book three in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series. It is a stand alone book, however you do miss a lot of the history from many characters and two good reads if you jump right into this one. You will enjoy this book more fully if you do read the books in order. Jen Turano is one of my favorite authors, I love her spunky writing style, filled with humor, mystery and history. I literally laughed out load while reading this historical, mysterious, romance. The entire Bleaker Street Inquiry Agency is full of fun, unique women. I loved how even though this series are stand alone type reads, the books will continue to involve everyone, therefore your enjoyment will be magnified by reading them all. Book three we get to learn more about the mysterious Eunice Holbrooke and the handsome Arthur Livington. There is so much going on in this book and of course it is full of all I have come to expect from Jen Turano. I was given a copy of this book or my honest opinion.

About the author

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at jenturano.com.