"a sure crowd-pleaser for lovers of historical fiction and chilling plotlines." — Library Journal
"With cunning, guile, and a dash of desperation, Kate Warne charms her way into the old boys’ club of a mid-19th-century Chicago detective agency and soon finds herself catapulted into a world of spies, rogues, and double-crossers. As she dons and sheds all manner of disguises, Kate discovers that she has a knack for subterfuge — and more than that, she likes it. Inspired by a real-life story, Greer Macallister has created a fast-paced, lively tale of intrigue and deception, with a heroine at its center so appealingly complicated that she leaps off the page." — Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
"From the underbelly of Chicago to the front lines of the Civil War, Girl in Disguise crackles with spirit, and the trailblazing Kate Warne is a character I would follow anywhere. In Macallister’s confident hands, this novel is packed full of adventure, moxie, and heart. I dare you not to get hooked." — Rae Meadows, author of I Will Send Rain and Mercy Train
"I was absolutely ensnared by Girl In Disguise, Greer Macallister’s unflinching investigation of what it means to be true to yourself while living a life of deception. Mysterious Kate Warne, who fought perception to become the first female Pinkerton detective, is just the kind of courageous, ingenious, fierce character I love. I could not stop turning pages as she dons disguises, tells lies, rubs shoulders with lady spies, hardened criminals, double agents, and President Lincoln, and manages to uncover the truth—not just about the crimes she investigates, but her own heart. Chock full of fascinating ripped-from-the-headlines period details and intriguing historical personages, I drank this book down in a single shot." — Erin Lindsay McCabe, USA Today bestselling author of I Shall Be Near To You
"If you love historical fiction, you’re going to devour GIRL IN DISGUISE. The time, the place, the girl – this book takes you on a thrill ride with the first female detective, making her way by pluck and luck through the seedy streets of 19th century Chicago, finding her place in a male-dominated world" — Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue
"All hail a mighty woman in a man's world! Greer Macallister aims her pen at Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective, and hits the mark with this rousing, action-packed adventure. A book that brings to light a commanding and little-known contribution to American history." — Sarah McCoy, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Mapmaker’s Children
"...the balance of beautiful prose with both the hard truths of Kate's experiences and and her emotional journey turn the sketchy facts of a shadowy historical figure into a very realistic, living and breathing person. What a pleasure to learn about one such woman, especially one we know so little about, through Macallister's eloquence and artistry!" — BookBrowse
"Macallister’s story is a rip-roaring, fast-paced treat to read, with compelling characters, twisted villains, and mounds of historical details adeptly woven into the tale of a courageous woman who loves her job more than anything or anyone else." — Booklist
"Macallister is becoming a leading voice in strong, female-driven historical fiction. Exciting, frightening, and unspeakably moving, Girl in Disguise reveals what one courageous woman endures to enact justice in a nation at war, and change the course of history." — Erika Robuck, national bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl
"an exciting, well-crafted historical novel. Loaded with suspense and action, this is a well-told, superb story." — Publishers Weekly, STARRED
"A Spunky Spy Saga....Girl in Disguise, Macallister's sophomore effort, dives into case after case, convincing the reader as well as Pinkerton that Kate is an ace detective in this dangerous man's world. Kate gets better as she goes — and so does the book." — NPR Books
"Greer Macallister brings the original Miss Pinkerton roaring back to life in this electrifying tale. Girl in Disguise is a rollicking nineteenth-century thrill ride, complete with clever disguises and coded messages, foiled plots and hidden agendas, lies, indiscretion, and forbidden love. Kate Warne is a scrappy, tough-as-nails detective who did a man's job for the first time in American history. She lives and breathes again in this riveting novel." — Amy Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Girl Waits with Gun
"Readers who enjoy historical events told from the point of view of an engaging character will be well-served by Girl in Disguise. Kate’s voice is fresh and compelling, and therefore, overall, this is a very well-written and enjoyable novel." — Historical Novels Review
"Girl in Disguise cleverly unearths the story of Kate Warne, the first female Pinkerton detective. Fast-paced, subversive, and with rich prose, it's everything an historical mystery should be. In the end it will leave you stunned. And then you will want to read everything else Greer Macallister has ever written" — Ariel Lawhon, author of Flight of Dreams
"A celebration of a singular woman's life that's guided by facts but features some inviting imaginings." — Kirkus Reviews
"The best book I read in 2016 hasn’t been published yet. Historical fiction at its best…. a rollicking tale." — Publishers Weekly
2016-12-27
The story of the very first female detective traces her growth from determined young woman to seasoned pro.Though she was not a woman who expected to work, as few women of the 1850s did, Kate Warne is determined to find a position that suits her. Though she's a widow desperate for income, Kate eschews this identity, cultivating instead a reputation as a woman with a quick mind. When she applies for a position at the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Kate uses her powers of persuasion to convince Allan Pinkerton that having a woman on staff might be of particular value. Pinkerton gives Kate a trial case, and while she ends it at odds with fellow detective Tim Bellamy, she lands the job and becomes Pinkerton's first lady agent. Macallister (The Magician's Lie, 2015) follows Kate through her years with Pinkerton's, with each case serving as the next chapter in the serial storyline. Kate finds an ally in colleague Graham DeForest and potential adversaries in Bellamy and new hire Jack Mortenson. The animosity of the latter becomes more prescient when Kate is put in charge of her own department of lady detectives, and Mortenson's lack of respect for women becomes a serious problem. The story follows Kate as she comes into her own, from missteps and mix-ups, like losing key pieces of evidence, to protecting President Abraham Lincoln from an assassination attempt. An Author's Note provides some of the details on the differences between the fiction and Kate's true history, though those immersed in the plot may not want to know the difference. A celebration of a singular woman's life that's guided by facts but features some inviting imaginings.