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, … 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.
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It’s a sweet murder mystery – an interesting combination in a novel. It’s Chicago in the 1930’s, and Henrietta is a young woman trying to find her independence. She takes a job in a dance hall – which she comes to enjoy, until her supervisor is found dead. When the police inspector – himself a bit of a mystery – asks her to, she agrees to become his assistant in investigating the crime. Together, they learn about the roots of the crime – and become romantically interested in each other. A fun read.
I loved all of this story ALTHOUGH I feel as with most series, it could have been one book instead of three. Nevertheless… I have to read and discover more about Clive and Henrietta.
This is book 1 and book 2 and 3 are great as well. Looking forward to book 4 in April and now i hear book 5 is coming out as well. YES!!!! Love this series.
Chicago, 1930’s, working girl,police inspector, dance clubs, prostitution, mob, romance and this is from book 1.
I enjoyed this book so much that I am going to buy the remaining books in the series. Can’t beat that for liking!
A wonderfully written story by debut author Michelle Cox. If you enjoy historical fiction, with a little romance and mystery, you will love this book. I sincerely hope this becomes a series, because the characters are just so likeable you will find yourself fully vested in their lives within the pages of the story. Henrietta Von Harmon is pretty yet feisty young women in one of Chicago’s hardscrabble neighborhoods in 1935. She lives at home with her widowed mother and seven younger siblings. After the stock market crash and her father’s suicide, Henrietta, has tried to do her part to earn money for her family. At the opening of the story we find her working as a 26 Girl at Poor Pete’s, a neighborhood bar. At least Poor Pete’s owner keeps an eye out for her as if she were his own daughter, but Henrietta feels she needs to earn more money to help her mom, who’s been depressed since her father’s suicide, to put more food on the table. She takes a job as a taxi dancer, upon the recommendation of her friend Polly at a local dance hall, making 10 cents a dance from the lonely men who attend the dances. While she and Polly are working one night, the supervisor of the dance floor, turns up murdered. In the process of the police interviews of the staff, Henrietta realizes that one of her “dances” was with a police inspector. Was he there undercover? Did the police suspect something else was happening at the dance hall? Inspector Howard questions both Henrietta & Polly, then Polly turns up missing. Could there be a connection to Polly’s missing sister who was working at a burlesque club with possible Mob connections? Inspector Howard asks Henrietta to go undercover, trying out for a position as an usherette so she can snoop around. Henrietta jumps at the chance to find out what happened to Polly and her sister and in the process make some much needed extra cash, but the burlesque club may be more dangerous than Henrietta or Inspector Howard realizes. Thank you to author Michelle Cox and She Writes Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I found this book by chance and so glad I found it. romance mystery and historial facts from that time period. Twists and turns loved it all and the 4th book is coming out April 2019
Time travel does exist! I know this to be true because author Michelle Cox’s A GIRL LIKE YOU is a portal that transports readers back to the Chicago underworld of 1935. So authentic, so well written, my eyes stung from the blue haze of smoke hanging low in the dubious joint—the Marlowe—where Henrietta’s agreed to work undercover for Inspector Howard. And while her body’s in physical danger of falling into the hands of gangsters, her heart’s in emotional danger of falling in love with the inspector. I can hardly wait for the next installment—A Ring of Truth.
Love this series. Takes place in the mid 30’s, written as people spoke at that time, it is a very relaxing, fun, read.
I would like to read more dialogue to get a sense of what is happening rather than paragraphs of introspective character thought. Regardless, I enjoy the stories and bought the sequels. Ms. Cox weaves a story that makes me want to find out what happens next to the characters.
Enjoyed this historical romance mystery set in the 1930s Chicago. The characters were interesting…..look forward to reading A Ring if Truth, the second book in this series.
The Depression era world of a poor girl’s Chicago is a dicey deal for Henrietta Von Harmon- but she is resilient, and in Michelle Cox’s capable hands, Henrietta takes the reader of A Girl Like You on a wonderful romp through the seamier side of an early 20th century working girl’s life. The realities of a fatherless family, a weary mother and a dearth of opportunity don’t overpower Henrietta’s curiosity, her willingness to work hard, her knack for making alliances, and her vision of a better future. The book’s cast of additional characters, headed by Inspector Howard, accompanies Henrietta through a murder, a dangerous job and touching reminders that life turns on small intimacies. This engaging book leads readers into the following two books in the series!
The historical settings add an extra layer of interest. The characters are well developed, believable and likable. I wanted to root for them all the way. I loved it.
A great period piece. Certainly makes the time come alive for people who have only read about it.
This book seemed to be taken from a 1930’s black and white movie. Not very believable characters. The writing was less than excellent.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book..both the mystery and suspense and also the love story. The characters of Henrietta and Inspector Carroll seemed to their station in life and their experiences. Can’t wait to read the next one.
Left me wanting to read the next book!
A great tead
A lot of action, twists and turns, scary in some parts and and the good guy got the heroine at the end.
This is a good story. Fun and easy reading.
More or less predictable, with only one unexpected twist, but an easy enjoyable read.