The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2) by Jennifer Kincheloe: A Book Review

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2)
Author: Jennifer Kincheloe
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Release Date: 2017
Pages: 304
Source: This book was given to me by the publisher and the audiobook was given to me by Audiobookworm Promotions blog tour in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis: In early-1900s Los Angeles-- an era of courting, ragtime, suffragettes, and widespread corruption-- a socialite turned police matron tracks down the murderer of a white woman in Chinatown, while trying to prevent the outbreak of a bloody tong war.

Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret, reluctantly helped by the good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent local leader.

Meanwhile, the kidnapping of two slave girls fuels existing tensions, leaving Chinatown poised on the verge of a bloody tong war. Joe orders Anna to stay away, but Anna is determined to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.

My Review: Former socialite Anna Blanc is a police matron at the Los Angeles Police Department. She and her former boyfriend, Joe Singer, discover the body of a missionary woman in Chinatown. If news of the body would be released, there would be a backlash against the Chinese. To prevent this from happening, Anna and Joe decides to investigate the murder secretly. Can they find the murderer before information about the murder gets leaked?

As I expected from The Secret Life of Anna Blanc, there was very little improvement with Anna in The Woman in the Camphor Trunk. I had thought that since she was on her own, she would be a bit more mature. However, it seems that she was still the same annoying character, and I still disliked her greatly. She is still very manipulative, selfish, and immature. She made a lot of silly actions that I couldn't understand. Therefore, I was very disappointed in Anna as a character because she did not evolve as a character.

Overall, there was a bit of an improvement in The Woman in the Camphor Trunk. All the characters have very little character development. I thought that the reason for Anna and Joe’s break-up was very foolish and was handled in a childish manner. However, I really like the mystery aspect and was intrigued that it was inspired by real events. I wished that there was more focus on the mystery rather than the romance. The murder reveal was a bit of a disappointment because the murderer got away. As for the audiobook narration, I enjoyed it because while I did not like the story much, I still thought Moira Quick was a great narrator. I’m still interested in picking up the next Anna Blanc book to see if there is any growth to the characters.

Rating: 2½ out of 5 stars

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath...

A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim and Sebastien Falletti: A Book Review

A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea Author: Eunsun Kim and Sebastien Falletti Genre: Nonfiction, Modern History, Autobiography and Memoir Publisher: St. Martin's Press Release Date: July 21, 2015 Pages: 240 Source: My State Public Library Synopsis: Eunsun Kim was born in North Korea, one of the most secretive and oppressive countries in the modern world. As a child Eunsun loved her country...despite her school field trips to public executions, daily self-criticism sessions, and the increasing gnaw of hunger as the country-wide famine escalated. By the time she was eleven years old, Eunsun's father and grandparents had died of starvation, and Eunsun was in danger of the same. Finally, her mother decided to escape North Korea with Eunsun and her sister, not knowing that they were embarking on a journey that would take them nine long years to complete. Before finally reaching South Korea and freedom, Eunsun and her family would live homeles...

New Jersey Women in World War II by Patricia Chappine: A Book Review

New Jersey Women in World War II Author: Patricia Chappine Genre: Nonfiction, History Publisher: The History Press Release Date: June 8, 2015 Pages: 144 Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: During World War II, New Jersey’s Women Answered The Call. Real-life Rosie the Riveters worked the lines in New Jerseys factories, such as those of General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division, while women on the vulnerable coast enforced blackout orders. Others sold war bonds, planted victory gardens and conserved materials for the war effort. Thousands more served as nurses and in branches of the armed forces like the Women's Army Corps and the U.S. Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. African American women fought a double war, one against the nations enemies and another against discrimination. Historian Patricia Chappine explores the pivotal roles that New Jersey women played in World War II. ...

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