Jeanne Matthews

1867 Chicago. Mrs Quinn Sinclair aka Mrs Paschal, widow of a a Union soldier has teamed up with Garnick, an ex-Confederate soldier to form a detective agency. At the moment they have two cases, but there are it seems, connections between them. Can they solve the cases while their lives are being threatened.
An entertaining well-written historical mystery with its likeable main characters. A good start to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.… (mais)

Devil by the Tail is a historical mystery set in Chicago in 1867, two years after the end of the Civil War, and author Jeanne Matthews gives readers an intriguing look at the post-war activity that occurred during that time. In this story, crime is rampant and young private investigator Quinn Sinclair finds herself involved in murder, dirty politics, and two apparently different cases that may actually be connected. Quinn, also known as Mrs. Paschal, is aided by Garnick, a former Rebel prisoner of war, and it appears that their business partnership is about to take on a more personal element.

Matthews teases readers with clever hints and clues, as she challenges us to solve the mystery ourselves. We are also shown that preconceived notions can color our thinking about people and their professions. Devil by the Tail is an entertaining story with engaging characters, a thought-provoking plot, and just enough romance to make it alluring!

I received a copy of this book from the author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. There was no expectation of a positive review. These are my own thoughts.… (mais)