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dabutkus's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
writings_of_a_reader's review against another edition
3.0
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.
3.5 stars. When I picked up Girl in Disguise I was expecting a mystery novel, but this turned out to be more solidly in the historical fiction category. I also wasn't aware that it was about a real person. Kate Warne really was the first female Pinkerton detective and very little is actually really known about her, besides a few of the cases she was instrumental in solving. She also played a part in seeing President Elect Abraham Lincoln safely to Washington D.C. for his inauguration when there were threats on his life, and acted as a spy during the war.
The cases that were included in the book were all interesting, but since there isn't a whole lot known about Kate Warne's personal life there was a lot of creative license taken by the author with her story. Of course that was necessary to create a book and this is fiction, but I'll be honest and say that I'm not always crazy about reading made up things about real people, even if we do know very little about them. I wasn't completely on board with the way Kate was portrayed in this book, but there were things I did like about her. Despite that, this book was very readable and at times difficult to put down.
If anything, reading this book made me want to know the real stories behind the Pinkerton agents mentioned in this book. I had to look them up and find out which ones were actually based on real people and how the book diverged from the real stories .
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
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.
3.5 stars. When I picked up Girl in Disguise I was expecting a mystery novel, but this turned out to be more solidly in the historical fiction category. I also wasn't aware that it was about a real person. Kate Warne really was the first female Pinkerton detective and very little is actually really known about her, besides a few of the cases she was instrumental in solving. She also played a part in seeing President Elect Abraham Lincoln safely to Washington D.C. for his inauguration when there were threats on his life, and acted as a spy during the war.
The cases that were included in the book were all interesting, but since there isn't a whole lot known about Kate Warne's personal life there was a lot of creative license taken by the author with her story. Of course that was necessary to create a book and this is fiction, but I'll be honest and say that I'm not always crazy about reading made up things about real people, even if we do know very little about them. I wasn't completely on board with the way Kate was portrayed in this book, but there were things I did like about her. Despite that, this book was very readable and at times difficult to put down.
If anything, reading this book made me want to know the real stories behind the Pinkerton agents mentioned in this book. I had to look them up and find out which ones were actually based on real people and how the book diverged from the real stories .
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
momvz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tay_low's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
sah42's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
Very intriguing! Had me hooked from page one!
toebean5's review against another edition
2.0
I found it a little cheesy, but the ladies in the book group all really liked it.
librarianjennifer's review against another edition
Did not find the book close to "Exciting, frightening, and unspeakably moving"
dianareadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I was 1000% drawn into this book.
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister is based on the real life of the first female Pinkerton agent, Kate Warne. It is 1856 in Chicago, Illinois and Kate Warne needs a job. She is a widow with little in the way of funds. In response to an advertisement, Kate arrives at the offices of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Kate is interviewed by Allan Pinkerton who states that they do not hire women. She asks him for an opportunity to prove her worth by solving a case. If she can close the investigation, Kate will get a position. Pinkerton agrees and gives her an opportunity to recover money stolen from First Eagle Savings Bank. With a little assistance, Kate is successful and gets her position as the first female Pinkerton agent. Unfortunately, her fellow agents are not as welcoming as Allan Pinkerton. Kate sets out to learn the skills she needs to be a successful agent and prove to the men that she is an asset. We get to follow Kate as she learns her craft and shows how valuable female agents can be to the agency. Kate is so successful that Pinkerton needs to start a Female Bureau of Detectives, and he wishes Kate to head it. This is a great opportunity for Kate, and she embraces the challenge. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Kate feels her services are more valuable in the field. Kate’s skills could prove vital to the country during this time of upheaval. But life is not all rosy for Kate. Pick up a copy of Girl in Disguise to find out what happens to Kate Warne.
Girl in Disguise is a slow starter, but it gets better the further I got into the story. The novel is nicely written, and I did find it appealing. I wish, though, that the author had focused on Kate’s joining the Pinkerton agency and maybe one or two cases. Kate’s life would have made a great series. Each book could have focused on a new case. The novel starts in 1856 and takes us through the end of the Civil War. I was dissatisfied with the romance portion of the book and how it affected Kate. It just did not seem to go with her personality or behavior prior to this point. I give Girl in Disguise 4 out of 5 stars. The book, in a way, reminds me of a biography. But it lacked the depth you would find in one. We do not get enough details on Kate and her life as an agent. It is a superficial overview. I would have loved more details especially when she first started out as an agent. It is supposed to be a fictionalized account, so I wish the author had pushed it a little further. The ending was a bit of a letdown. It would have been nice if the author had included an epilogue showcasing the end of Kate Warne’s life. I am interested in finding out more information about Kate Warne and her life. I know that little information on Kate and her activities survived the Chicago Fire of 1871, but I hope to find more details than were available in Girl in Disguise. If you enjoy reading historical novels, check out Girl in Disguise.
Girl in Disguise is a slow starter, but it gets better the further I got into the story. The novel is nicely written, and I did find it appealing. I wish, though, that the author had focused on Kate’s joining the Pinkerton agency and maybe one or two cases. Kate’s life would have made a great series. Each book could have focused on a new case. The novel starts in 1856 and takes us through the end of the Civil War. I was dissatisfied with the romance portion of the book and how it affected Kate. It just did not seem to go with her personality or behavior prior to this point. I give Girl in Disguise 4 out of 5 stars. The book, in a way, reminds me of a biography. But it lacked the depth you would find in one. We do not get enough details on Kate and her life as an agent. It is a superficial overview. I would have loved more details especially when she first started out as an agent. It is supposed to be a fictionalized account, so I wish the author had pushed it a little further. The ending was a bit of a letdown. It would have been nice if the author had included an epilogue showcasing the end of Kate Warne’s life. I am interested in finding out more information about Kate Warne and her life. I know that little information on Kate and her activities survived the Chicago Fire of 1871, but I hope to find more details than were available in Girl in Disguise. If you enjoy reading historical novels, check out Girl in Disguise.
holmstead's review against another edition
4.0
This author is becoming a top ten favorite of mine. Her words are sharp and palpable. Her stories are interesting and fresh. I always appreciate an author that can get to the story or describe something/one without being verbose. I love the author's ability to take historical fiction and enlighten the reader with real facts about real people, women in particular. I became a fan of Macallister with her first novel, The Magician's Lie. This 2nd book is leading the way for more fans like me to anticipate even greater work in the future.