Love in Disguise [Paperback]

Carol Cox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2012

Delightfully Engaging Blend of Romance, Suspense, History, and Humor

When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona.

Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow...or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie.

But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Can she solve the crime before they uncover her true identity?

Jobless and down to her last dime, Ellie Moore hears about a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and believes it's the perfect chance to put her acting skills and costumes to use. Reluctantly, the agency agrees to give her one assignment, one chance to prove herself. Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie travels to Arizona to begin her investigation. When the need arises, she also transforms into the dazzling Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is going to lose his business if he can't figure out who's stealing his silver shipments. In his wildest dreams, he never expected to receive help from a gray-haired widow...or to fall in love with her beautiful niece.

Then the thieves come after Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Should she give up and reveal her true identity? What will Steven do when he realizes the woman he's falling in love with doesn't really exist?

Set in 1880s Arizona, Love in Disguise blends romance, humor, and mystery for a can't-put-down read.

"Cox does a wonderful job of combining historical details, romance, and suspense. Though Cox's latest has moments of humor, it will still appeal to fans of Dee Henderson for the suspense aspect." --Library Journal

"Cox has fleshed out a fascinating cast of characters that move readers through a novel that dispenses romance and wit in the intriguing context of a Wild West mystery. A most delightful and engaging read." --Publishers Weekly

"Carol Cox has once again crafted a delightful story with elements of adventure, romance, and humor...Heartwarming, witty and engaging, this story captured me from the first pages and kept me riveted until the end." --Historical Novels Review

"From start to finish, this book had me hooked and I hated having to put it down for any reason. Not only does Love in Disguise contain the perfect blend of character development, mystery and romance, it's also entirely original and unlike anything I've come across in this genre. And although I appreciated the originality of Love in Disguise, I can't help but hope that Carol gets the chance to write another novel about a female detective. If she does, you can be certain that I'll be one of the first to get my hands on it." --Christian Manifesto

About the Author

Native Arizonan Carol Cox has an abiding love for history, mystery, and romance. The author of more than 25 books, she believes in the power of story to convey spiritual truths. Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where deer and antelope really do play--within view of the family's front porch. Visit her website at www.carolcoxbooks.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (June 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764209558
• ISBN-13: 978-0764209550
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (144 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #892,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Review: Love In Disguise July 11, 2012

By Chelsey Lynn

Format:Paperback

Ellie Moore is a girl who always seems to be a part of the back drop and never a star in the limelight. Her career has always been to prep and prepare the major stars for the stage, while never reaching it herself. All of that comes to a drastic end when she is told, unexpectedly, that she needs to seek employment elsewhere. From that point on her life begins to spiral into a thundering whirlwind and she cannot even begin to fathom how she will pay her rent or afford food to eat. These are not fun thoughts for any character to harbor. She begins to run out of time and options until what seems like the last straw, isn't it funny how that always works?

Ellie overhears a few men talking about what seems to be an undercover operation in which they need to hire one more woman for in order for the mission to be a success. Ellie, having no experience investigating but plenty of experience acting if only behind the curtains, decides that this would be the perfect option for her. She eventually convinces them that she is the woman that they are looking for, in a rather comical way if I do say so myself, and is whisked off to Arizona in order to uncover who or whom is stealing all the silver from the local mines in Pickford.

Ellie's character is strong and has many different sides, this is funny but you have to read the book to understand what I am insinuating here!! She is quite fearless and takes on an operation that puts her in harm's way more than one time. In the 1880's it was not the woman's place really to involve herself in the affairs of men, but Ellie surely does. I was just so shocked with how nosy and forceful she could be with grown men. She had a mission and she had agreed with herself to not stop until it was completed to the best of her ability. She carried so much faith in herself and was never one to doubt herself even when others may have.

I love mystery stories like this one because I was actually able to follow along with Ellie as she kept track of everything that she witnessed or learned each day. Many characters with different viewpoints were introduced, but it was not confusing at all. I was able to keep up with each character and was able to relate his or her importance with the overall story. Ellie was a smart thinker and was often forced to think on the spot when she was placed in a tough situation. I can really admire all of her brilliant detective work. If I were her I would have felt so alone in the small town of Pickford, Arizona where she hardly knew anyone. But being a detective she was forced to jump right in and meeting all of the various people that Ellie meets is a huge part of the book!

This was a quick read with a heroine that was not your average every day, at least in some historical fiction novels. She was bright and diligent instead of vulnerable and scared. She knew that as a woman it was, more times than not, not her place to speak up in a meeting of men but that is what makes her so brilliant. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. I feel like when she faced an obstacle or she realized that someone was trying to shut up that that only made her talk louder. I constantly found myself relating to her!

**A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Bethany House in return for my honest review and I am so thankful!**

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery with a Romanitc Twist July 12, 2012

By Frances Clements

Format:Paperback

I had a great time reading Love in Disguise by Carol Cox. It is more a mystery book than a romance novel, but that made it a breath of fresh air in many ways. The main character, Ellie, is a Pinkerton detective that must use disguises in order to be able to glean the information she needs to find out who has been stealing the silver from the miners in Pickford, AZ. The mystery is interesting and fairly exciting, but the thing I like most is Ellie herself. She is resourceful, spunky, and comes to realize that she has a lot to offer the world as just plain Ellie.

The romantic twist to the book is fun too. I would enjoy reading a second book about Ellie and Steven (one of the miners).

So thanks Bethany House for giving me this book to review. I really enjoyed it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book of intrigue, love and learning July 10, 2012

By krobey

Format:Paperback

I thought this was a very fun book to read. Ellie Moore poses as Jessie and Lavinia while she is a rookie undercover detective trying to sleuth around town to find those responsible for the multiple robberies in the area silver mines. She finds herself having to watch her words and gets herself into some interesting situations at times due to her disguises. She will have you smiling and crying as she learns more about people, herself, love and her God. Of course, there is a love interest along the way, but who will she be for the man of her dreams?

I received a complimentary copy of Love in Disguise by Carol Cox from Bethany House Publishers.