Book Review: A Woman Unknown

Author: Frances Brody

Publication Date: February 10, 2015

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Series: Kate Shackleton # 4

THE WOMAN UNKNOWN: Deirdre Fitzpatrick is married to a man who wants to know where she really goes when supposedly taking care of her sick mother and calls on the expertise of Kate Shackleton, amateur sleuth extraordinaire to investigate. THE GENTLEMAN: Everett Runcie is a banker facing ruin and disgrace. His American heiress wife will no longer pay for his mistakes, or tolerate his infidelity, and is seeking a divorce. THE MURDER: When a chambermaid enters Runcie's hotel room, she is shocked to find that he is alone, and dead. Suddenly Kate is thrown into the depths of an altogether more sinister investigation. Can she uncover the truth of her most complex, and personal, case to date?

My name is Kate Shackleton. I am a private investigator, drawn to the work almost accidentally through trying to discover what happened to my husband, Gerald, last seen towards the end of the Great War.

It was against my better judgment, but looking from Fitzpatrick to Sykes, I decided that it would not hurt to take a closer look at this young woman who aroused such strong emotions.

Deirdre flung herself from the bed and across the room. No one must see her, in bed with a dead man.

Kate Shackleton is a private investigator exploring Yorkshire in the 1920’s. First of all, the 20’s is my true era; I should have been a flapper! In this installment to the series, a man is found dead in the Metropole Hotel in Leeds and Kate is called in by his widow to investigate his death. Kate is working side by side with Marcus Charles, who is sent in from Scotland Yard to investigate. Marcus is none too thrilled by working with Kate, but her charm eventually wears him down. Kate is in head over heels because in this novel she is working on two cases at once. She is also working with the husband of Deirdre Fitzpatrick to uncover the truth as to why she disappears for days at a time. There is definitely enough going on in this story to keep readers involved and occupied!

This era is brought vividly to life through Brody’s writing and world building. I am already a huge fan of the 20’s, as I said, but writing done this well only makes me love and appreciate it more. Kate’s character was interesting because of her station; I felt that as a widow she was able to get away with more during this time than a spinster or young, unmarried woman would have been able to get away with. I love the series and all that I learn from it; books that allow me to learn while being entertained are always the best!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Minotaur Books in exchange for my honest review***