I've got another fantastic historical romance/mystery for you today! It's Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley. (I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review of this book) This is another book that I read about a month ago, and am just now getting to writing about, so I apologize for the delay. This book is the third in the Brides of Last Chance Ranch series, and while you can read them in order, this is the only one I have read, and everything made sense. You meet a few side characters who were main characters in the previous books, but it doesn't take away from this story. I really enjoyed them actually, and now can't wait to go back and read the first two books.
Summary: Bank robberies, heiresses, secrets, Oh my! Miranda Hunt, aka Annie Beckman is one of the best detectives the Pinkerton Agency has to offer. After hearing about a group of bandits that have been getting away with bank robberies, train hold ups and general mayhem caused by the Phantom near Last Chance Ranch, Miranda decides to go undercover to the ranch as its newest heiress to try to draw out and capture the Phantom and his gang once and for all! Meanwhile, Wells Fargo detective, Jeremy Taggert is also undercover at the ranch for the same reasons. Originally suspecting each other, they soon realize there is more to this story than just a few bank robberies and hold ups. As they wade through the deception and danger, Jeremy and "Annie" find themselves falling in love. Who can they trust? Everyone is a suspect, even the people they think they can trust the most.
What I liked: The mystery was great! It kept me guessing, and I really appreciated that. The characters are also really well written and I loved getting to know them! I really enjoy Ms. Brownley's style too. Her writing is engaging, suspenseful and humorous at all the appropriate times.
While I'm not a tea person, it was fun to learn about the different types of tea and what they can be used for. And yes, there really is a tea called gunpowder tea.
What I didn't like: I can't recall anything I didn't like. :)
Take away: I loved how much history was in this book, and how much Ms. Brownley made me want to learn about the Pinkerton Agency. I spent a lot of time on Wikipedia reading about the family and the agency. For example - did you know that the Pinkerton agency still exists today? Or that they there the first organization to hire a female detective - and did so over thirty years before any other police force or organization did so? Pinkerton realized that at that time, women made the best intelligence agents because most men at the time did not consider them capable of understanding most issues, and therefore spoke freely in front of them. This allowed for many female spies to gather critical information (such as the plot to assassinate President Lincoln in Baltimore).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There is romance and intrigue, a historical western and a mystery. If you like any of these genres, you really should enjoy this book!
Happy Readings!
Sarah K.
Two out of the three hooks in your review could get me into this one Sarah. I used to read westerns and have always liked a good mystery but have never been a romance fan. I’ve read much about later intelligence agencies so I actually anticipate the possibility of seeing how a pair of earlier agents worked together.
ReplyDeleteI am also curious to see how another author’s characters deal with suspicion and trust issues.
Hi Sarah, I just wanted to pop in and thank you for taking the time to read my book and post such a great review. I also can't keep from commenting on John's post.
ReplyDeleteJohn, several men who read my book assured me that the romance "didn't spoil the story." Ah, the sweet differences between men and women. Anyway, just thought you'd like to know.