Review ~ Petticoat Detective by Margaret Brownley

About the Book

Pinkerton detective Jennifer Layne is no stranger to undercover work. But posing as a lady companion named Amy at Miss Lillian’s Parlor House and Boots is a first for her. She’s finally landed a high-profile case and is on the trail of the notorious Gunnysack Bandit, when one of Miss Lillian’s girls essential to her investigation meets an untimely demise. Only a handful of people are in the house at the time of her death, including handsome Tom Colton, a former Texas Ranger determined to clear his brother’s name. Amy has many reasons to suspect Tom of murder—and one very personal reason to hope that she’s wrong about him.

My Review 

Petticoat Detective is my favorite book from Margaret Brownley! It’s a fast-paced, funny and poignant tale of a female Pinkerton detective who goes undercover in a brothel. Doesn’t sound like something you would want to read? Well, you just might be surprised! It really is a great story. There’s the trademark humor Ms Brownley is famous for, but along with that is a deep and satisfying story of how women come to be in certain situations, and the hope of redemption through Christ. 

I read this book in just a few hours. I could not put it down. It has one of the best casts of characters!  I’m a dialogue person and it’s fairly snapping in this book! The mystery is solid but what got me was how beautifully the inner hurts and secret longings of the women were portrayed. Miss Lillian, the owner, is a hoot. On the surface she seems to be just an older washed up and worn out madam, but she’s got spunk--and secret aspirations of being a legitimate business woman. 

Jennifer Layne aka Amy isn’t the only one wearing a ‘mask’.  By the time the ending came, I was completely surprised on several accounts and the whodunit kept me bewildered right up until the Gunnysack Bandit was revealed. I’m looking forward to the next book in the Undercover Ladies series. I honestly don’t know how this one is going to be topped. 

I want to thank Margaret Brownley for sending me an electronic ARC for review purposes. No compensation has been received.

About the Author 

Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret penned it all. Nothing wrong with this, except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction."

Margaret wasn't sure that was true, but she wasn't about to take chances. She now has more than 28 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Not bad for someone who failed 8th grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

  

You can find out more about Margaret and her books by visiting her website: http://margaret-brownley.com/