kirsten_s's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprised to find out that Kate Warne actually existed, I had assumed the novel was entirely fictional. This is a good read if you don't want to get emotionally invested in a book. The characters are complex, Kate questions the morality behind her subterfuge, however there was an emotional element missing somehow. Also, the danger of the situation Kate and her colleagues is not expressed all that well, we know it is dangerous and that people might end up dead, but the characters don't seem to feel that all that much. That said, I did enjoy the read, and I finished it in two days, which pretty much speaks for itself.
kmfeeney's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. It just sort of breeze through Kate Warne's life including the mysteries. I feel like it could have been a series? Or longer? I don't know...something was missing for me.
libbith220's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I'm not usually a fan of fiction books about real people, but the premise actually worked in this case -- since we don't know much about Kate Warne, it was easy enough to add embellishments to her life. Unfortunately, there were other factors that impeded my enjoyment of this book.
Since it is based on a real person, the plot has to incorporate real events, and I think that severely hindered any real plot. Instead of having one overarching plot, there were multiple episodes stitched together for the entirety of the novel. This made it hard to continue reading, as I never really knew where we were going, and therefore couldn't always muster up enough interest. Some elements were well done and fun to read, but others were such a slog to get through.
The lack of defined plot might have worked if Kate was a stronger main character, but she fell a bit flat for me. Based on the blurb and random scattered lines, it seems like the author was trying to highlight the inner turmoil Kate went through by constantly being in disguise. For me, that angle never really shone through. In the author notes, the author says that "This novel is a love story between a woman and her work." I love that idea, but it never felt true. It felt as if we were just going through the motions with Kate, but I could never match her emotionally. Whenever language was used to describe any passion on Kate's end, it felt forced. Overall I would say this writing told more than it showed, and the story suffered for that.
I would have rated this book higher, if not for the romance that took over toward the end. The story didn't need it, and it made me frustrated with Kate, as she started making poor decisions because of it. I actually thought that the romance started off well, but it definitely grew bigger than it needed to be. My guess is that it was supposed to add some emotion/passion to the story, but instead it sort of discredited Kate's character.
I'm sad to report that there really wasn't anything special about this book, because I do think it had great potential. The execution just didn't work for me.
Since it is based on a real person, the plot has to incorporate real events, and I think that severely hindered any real plot. Instead of having one overarching plot, there were multiple episodes stitched together for the entirety of the novel. This made it hard to continue reading, as I never really knew where we were going, and therefore couldn't always muster up enough interest. Some elements were well done and fun to read, but others were such a slog to get through.
The lack of defined plot might have worked if Kate was a stronger main character, but she fell a bit flat for me. Based on the blurb and random scattered lines, it seems like the author was trying to highlight the inner turmoil Kate went through by constantly being in disguise. For me, that angle never really shone through. In the author notes, the author says that "This novel is a love story between a woman and her work." I love that idea, but it never felt true. It felt as if we were just going through the motions with Kate, but I could never match her emotionally. Whenever language was used to describe any passion on Kate's end, it felt forced. Overall I would say this writing told more than it showed, and the story suffered for that.
I would have rated this book higher, if not for the romance that took over toward the end. The story didn't need it, and it made me frustrated with Kate, as she started making poor decisions because of it. I actually thought that the romance started off well, but it definitely grew bigger than it needed to be. My guess is that it was supposed to add some emotion/passion to the story, but instead it sort of discredited Kate's character.
Spoiler
I also found it totally unnecessary for Tim to die right after they got together. The romance was dumb, but I could've enjoyed it more if it at least meant that Kate was happy. Instead, it was both annoying AND depressing.I'm sad to report that there really wasn't anything special about this book, because I do think it had great potential. The execution just didn't work for me.
wenwe's review against another edition
3.0
I had never though about the first woman detective, so this provided an interesting shift in my perspective. I wanted to know more about how Kate thought and get to know her enough to know why she made her decisions. Perhaps basing a fictional book on a real historical figure didn't allow the fleshing out of the character.
mayawildgoose's review against another edition
1.0
Sadly, could not get past page 100. I tried! I really did.
bookslesstravelled's review against another edition
4.0
I grabbed this one on a whim, the cover caught my eye, and it was on the 'New' shelf at the library, so I decided, 'Why not?' Boy am I glad it did! I don't read historical fiction often, but have always loved a good detective story, and enjoy Sherlock retellings, so the idea of a story based of f the life of the first real female detective? I'm listening!
This one, like most historical fiction, has a much slower pace than I'm used to, but in this case, that's one of the big things I loved about this book! Had things happened any faster, it would have taken away from the enjoyment when things finally 'hit the fan' which I expected would happen at some point. I loved the characters, and while the plot is mostly filled by following Kate on her various assignments, it all weaves together to produce a bitter-sweet, and highly satisfying ending! I highly recommend this book to any historical fiction or female detective fans!
This one, like most historical fiction, has a much slower pace than I'm used to, but in this case, that's one of the big things I loved about this book! Had things happened any faster, it would have taken away from the enjoyment when things finally 'hit the fan' which I expected would happen at some point. I loved the characters, and while the plot is mostly filled by following Kate on her various assignments, it all weaves together to produce a bitter-sweet, and highly satisfying ending! I highly recommend this book to any historical fiction or female detective fans!
bonnieebrown's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
brieizziye's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Kate Warne is always fascinating, especially with little being known about her beyond the first female detective for the Chicago Pinkertons and then losing most of those files in The Great Chicago Fire.
The books gives many stories that Kate was involved in and dives into her life but little was truly discussed about the courage and strength that Kate had to show by applying and getting hired into a job that was previously only for men. Pinkerton's story could also be covered with the backlash.
The book is completely written with a 'Kate showed strength by this......' instead of giving details and letting the reader feel her power. There are romance twists but feel that they happen an inappropriate time and steal from her character.
The other male characters are difficult to sort out, as they never become well developed in the book and are just angsty men against having a women in their agency.
The books gives many stories that Kate was involved in and dives into her life but little was truly discussed about the courage and strength that Kate had to show by applying and getting hired into a job that was previously only for men. Pinkerton's story could also be covered with the backlash.
The book is completely written with a 'Kate showed strength by this......' instead of giving details and letting the reader feel her power. There are romance twists but feel that they happen an inappropriate time and steal from her character.
The other male characters are difficult to sort out, as they never become well developed in the book and are just angsty men against having a women in their agency.