The Secret Life of Anna Blanc
by Jennifer Kincheloe
Finalist, Lefty Awards for Historical Mystery
Finalist, Colorado Author's League Award for Genre Fiction
Finalist, Macavity Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award
Finalist, Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for Mystery
WINNER, Mystery & Mayhem Award for Historical Mystery
WINNER, Colorado Gold Award for Mystery
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 lady-like books. 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 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. 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.
Reviews for The Secret Life of Anna Blanc
"Delightful…. Anna is a wonderfully independent character. Fans of Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy and Kerry Greenwood’s Miss Phryne Fisher will become fast friends with Anna Blanc."
--Booklist, STARRED REVIEW, October 1, 2015
“Readers will come to love [Anna]…. This is a fun novel with an I Love Lucy-meets-Agatha Christie adventure.”
--RT Book Reviews, -- Keeper, November 2015
“A humorously delightful historical mystery…. Jennifer Kincheloe has astutely balanced Anna's intelligence with her ignorance as an outsider. Her privileged upbringing and society's stringent mores leave her naïve to ‘street sense’ and prone to hilarious mishaps and awkward interactions. Instead of coming across as a bumbling idiot, though, Anna's logic and reason make her endearing and admirable. Her moxie leaves the reader cheering through tears of laughter. It doesn't require Sherlock to deduce that this suspenseful, smart and funny book is a crack debut.”
--Shelf Awareness for Readers, STARRED REVIEW, November 24, 2015
"Anna Blanc is one of the most engaging characters from a debut novel. She is smart, witty and captivating while also very innocent. Anna’s adventuresome spirit and determination to achieve her dream make for a strong story line. The descriptions of 1907 Los Angeles are vivid with details that transport you back in time. Kudos to Kincheloe for a highly entertaining roller coaster of a ride novel."
--The Examiner, FIVE STARS, November 17, 2015