The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y'Barbo

I enjoyed this latest addition to the True Colors series, novels based on historical mysteries. Each novel is written by a different author so the quality and style of writing differs. I have read them all and this one is one of my favorites.

I am impressed at how Y'Barbo wove the known facts of the two 1880s serial murder cases, the first ones in Houston and the ones following in London, into a very readable story. I liked the fictional introduction of the two genuine Pinkerton detectives into the mix. I liked Alice Ann. I like how Y'Barbo crafted her as in the royal British line. She is a bright young woman with an investigative mind. While her father prevented her from pursuing her abilities in London, a friend gets her the Pinkerton job in Chicago. On assignment in Houston, she is paired with the handsome Isaiah. I liked that Alice kept her royal lineage secret. She wanted to be respected for what she could do, not for her royal identity. And the budding romance between Alice and Isaiah is done well and reminds me of the recent royal family experiences of marrying for love.

Y'Barbo includes information at the back of the book so we readers know exactly which parts of the book are fiction and which are factual.

I really enjoyed the novel. It was well crafted with a style of writing that kept me reading. There is suspense only at the very end but the pace of the investigation kept me interested in the unfolding details of the Houston and London murders. I'll be watching for the next novel by Y'Barbo.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Kathleen Y'Barbo is the author of more than 100 books with over two million copies in print in the U.S. and abroad. She is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee. She is a paralegal and tenth generation Texan. She and her husband live just north of Houston. You can find out more at https://kathleenybarbo.com/

Barbour Books, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)