It’s 1907 Los Angeles. Mischievous socialite Anna Blanc is the kind of young woman who devours purloined crime novels—but must disguise them behind covers of more domestically-appropriate reading. She could match wits with Sherlock Holmes, but in her world women are not allowed to hunt criminals. Determined to break free of the era’s rigid social roles, Anna buys off the chaperone assigned by her … assigned by her domineering father and, using an alias, takes a job as a police matron with the Los Angeles Police Department. There she discovers a string of brothel murders, which the cops are unwilling to investigate. Seizing her one chance to solve a crime, she takes on the investigation herself.
If the police find out, she’ll get fired; if her father finds out, he’ll disown her; and if her fiancé finds out, he’ll cancel the wedding and stop pouring money into her father’s collapsing bank. Midway into her investigation, the police chief’s son, Joe Singer, learns her true identity. And shortly thereafter she learns about blackmail.
Anna must choose—either hunt the villain and risk losing her father, fiancé, and wealth, or abandon her dream and leave the killer on the loose.
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This is a well-written mystery.
Every sentence moves the story along, which is quite an accomplishment given that the point-of-view stays close to Anna Blanc throughout.
I also find it refreshing that Jennifer Kincheloe brings us an original detective without resorting to some random combination of character traits, which too many mystery writers feel they need in order to stand out. Anna Blanc and her story fit perfectly into the millieu of early 1900s Los Angeles.
Couldn’t put this book down. Read it, loved it, smiled often. I love the protagonist Anna Blanc!
Delightful. Anna Blanc grabs hold from the first sentence and doesnt let go. Who couldn’t love a heroine who wears a yack hair wig?
Not since Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles Vorkosigan have I fallen in love with a character so fun to read. Anna Blanc is a little bit crazy, but she was made that way by privilege, an over-protective father, the loss of her mother and more curiosity than was fashionable for a woman of her time. Her thought processes were laugh out loud funny, and poor Joe Singer, who felt like a yo yo being toyed with by this little bit looney broad who knew exactly what she wanted… until she didn’t, was just along for the roller coaster ride. So much fun!
This is one of the rare series that can make me laugh out loud. Anna Blanc is a delight, and the series is incredibly well researched, as well as populated with characters that I love. I’m always looking forward to a new installment, and sad when the story ends.
The Story:
Anna Blanc is a high society lady – though she is very much one to break the mould. She is quite a complex character, but one that grows on you as the story unfolds. Living in LA at the turn of the century it is a very different time for woman, and Anna would love nothing more than to be a detective, but she knows that will never happen yet somehow she ends up becoming a police matron for the Los Angeles Police Department. And by doing that job she discovers a string of murders realting to borthel girls, that the police are seemingly brushing them off as suicide.
I loved the story and the trail that Anna follows to discover who is killing the girls – I had no idea who it was going to be, at one point I was sure the author was going to reveal it as someone I had come to love only to have a twist turn me in the other direction.
A great story and I can’t wait to see what is store for Anna Blanc next.
The Narration:
Moira Quirk was brilliant at bringing this story to life, her accents and male as well as female characters were flawless. She really brought the era and Anna’s character to life and the whole production was seamless and flawless.
Rated 3.5 Stars – Rounded up for posting.
The Secret Life of Anna Blanc (Anna Blanc Mysteries Book #1) by Jennifer Kincheloe is the first book in a historical mystery series set in 1907 Los Angeles featuring young socialite Anna Blanc. I listened to this audiobook and was entertained by the narrator’s performance.
Young socialite Anna Blanc feels caged by her overprotective father and societal rules. After several failed attempts to change her life which only managed to tarnish her reputation, Anna finally has a plan that can work. She has a new chaperone she bribes for her freedom and she uses an alias to obtain a job as a police matron for the Los Angeles PD.
Anna discovers there are a string of brothel murders the police are covering up. Anna has always dreamed of being a police detective and this is her chance to solve a crime and prove herself, but the consequences for failure and/or exposure are high.
I hope the listener will give this audiobook a chance to get going. At first Anna’s personality is that of a spoiled, sheltered and self-centered debutante, BUT she evolves and learns as her circumstances change. I do feel the author makes you feel the restrictions of that time for women as well as Anna’s frustrations very well. Anna is inquisitive and intelligent, not just a young female character who lucks into the resolution. While the crime itself is serious, there are lighter moments throughout. I would have given this book a higher rating, but it took too long for me to get to the mystery plot and for Anna to begin to mature. Once the storyline progressed though, I enjoyed it more.
I look forward to listening to more of Anna’s adventures. Moira Quirk does a wonderful job of narrating this book and brought Anna to life for me.
It didn’t do much for me. Not very interesting or entertaining.