Not only is Annie young and beautiful, she is also a Pinkerton detective. She is on assignment in Austin, Texas hunting the killer of several young women. Isaac, her co-detective is an attorney turned detective. The story eventually moves to England where several young women are killed in the same manner as in Austin. This story is filled with drama both personally and professionally for the two main characters as they try to solve these murders.
I like how Annie is portrayed. She is cool under pressure and self-assured, yet she does not come across as some sort of superwoman. Also, she is hiding a couple of personal secrets that she must guard carefully from Isaac.
The author uses wonder descriptions. For example, the Christmas scene is so vividly written that I want to drink hot chocolate and sit by a fire even though I’m reading this in August.
Thank you #NetGalley and #TheBlackMidnight for the advanced copy of this fantastic book. I highly recommend The Black Midnight.

A great book that was quite interesting. Fast paced and keeps you wanting to turn the pages. The characters and scenes are well developed and intriguing keeping your attention. A wonderful read.

My gratitude to publisher Barbour for a complimentary NetGalley copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and the opinions expressed are my own.

Alice Ann is good at being a police officer; she loves bringing criminals to just and seeing justice served. The only catch is her politically powerful family doesn't want her to do it. At first, Alice Ann thinks it is because it would not reflect well upon her family. But, as she is brought into a case of grissly murders at the request of her great-grandmother the queen, she realizes this isn't true. She has to find the truth, no matter who is the killer. Eliminating Alice Ann uncovers a secret society of elite British intellectuals who are possibly harboring a murderous member.

Alice Ann (Annie) is aided by a team of hand-picked former Pinkerton agents that she worked with previously in America. The murders in Austin, TX and London, England seem to be connected and only those who worked with her before have the knowledge she needs to break this case. Once, she had to give up the colleague she loved for family, will she have to do it again?

I enjoyed reading this fictional tale of a series of true murders and the added dimension of a love story. I appreciated the background knowledge Ms. Y'Barbo shared with her readers; she gave additional books to read if you have an interest in learning more about them.

I received this book through Net Galley and Barbour Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

I do like Pinkerton detective stories. This one is really 2 stories that merge and share the same 2 detectives. I like their interaction and romance. Annie's family adds a nice touch too. Women are dying in Austin and in later in London. Is the same killer guilty of all the deaths? This author weaves a great story. I was thrilled to read this book. I liked it.

I loved this next installment in the True Colors Crime Series! An intriguing twist in both Jack the Ripper and The Midnight Assassin crime theories. The portrayal of the Pinkerton Agency and England’s royal family in this thrilling mystery was a fascinating look at potential explanations. I love how the characters worked together and the back story of characters and events is explained early on. Annie and Isaiah forge a professional alliance, determined not to let their feelings get involved. The beauty of love stories though, is seeing it seep out through the cracks in all interactions and develop into what it was meant to be. Sigh. I loved the relational slow build, the mystery, and the way it was all wrapped up at the end. I really could not put it down until I knew the outcome. It is part of the True Crime Series but can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone novel. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own and freely given.

The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y’Barbo is one of the most balanced and flawlessly written historical fiction books I have ever read. And that is quite an accomplishment when you consider that it is loosely framed about the infamous Jack the Ripper case. It can be difficult to suspend the reader’s disbelief or incorporate fictional characters around such a case, even with the holes in evidence.

As a murderino (a fan of the My Favorite Murder podcast), I was already familiar with the various theories about Jack the Ripper but completely forgot about the possible connection to murders in Austin, Texas. Having lived in Austin while I attended the University of Texas at Austin, it was thrilling to read about the city and the university from an imagined 19th century point of view. Beyond the obvious horse and buggy references, we have historic landmarks like the Driskill Hotel breaking ground and the capitol under construction. I always get a thrill from sartorial details that solidify the time period: pin watches, bowler hats, and sprigged patterned frocks.

Y’Barbo delivers a smart mystery and a touching love story all in one. She sets up the “present” time and jumps to the past to explain the tense encounter between the ex-Pinkerton partners. Y’Barbo also shifts seamlessly from Annie’s perspective to Isaiah’s, and even more smoothly transitions from the gumshoe to the heartstring moments.

As much as I enjoyed Annie and Isaiah, my favorite characters in the book were Queen Victoria and the housekeeper Miss Hattie. I couldn’t picture anyone’s face clearly in my head, but the dialogue and gumption of those two characters in particular made me smile every time. Normally, the lack of physical descriptions would bother me, but this novel contained minute details like tics and differentiated speech patterns that kept my attention focused on more important things.

I think that anyone who has an interest in historical fiction and unsolved mysteries would enjoy this story. Even though it is not categorized as a romance, I think that fans of the historical romance genre would like this one as well. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This was a great book. I enjoyed reading about Alice and Isaiah's adventures while in Texas and in London. The crimes were horrific and I had never heard of the midnight assassin until reading this book. The book was written in present time, but most of the book was in a flashback. Alice was tasked by Queen Victoria to work on the Jack Ripper cases. Alice decided that working with her former Pinkerton Detective partner, Isaiah. Sparks fly between Isaiah and Alice when they work together. They both struggle to keep their relationship professional, yet there is an attraction brewing under the surface. The brutal murders that the book is highlighting were not as graphic as they could have been. I believe the author did a great job of describing the scenes without being too detailed. I recommend to those that like a little suspense, mystery and romance.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

History brings us many fascinating tidbits, some of which are very hard to believe. We have all heard of Jack the Ripper, but the murders in Austin, Texas were new to me. The similarities between these murders can not be denied, but whether or not they were perpetrated by the same person remains yet to be discovered....or did our illustrious Pinkertons figure it out?

It is 1889 in London, England and Alice Anne von Wettin is called before Queen Victoria. This young lady has spent several years as a Pinkerton agent in the USA, already quite a feat for a woman and certainly much more so for the great granddaughter of the Queen! Isaiah Joplin is her partner from her tenure in Texas. Can they, along with a high-level officer of the Metropolitan Police, finally catch this murderer? Granny is counting on them...

This installment in the True Colors crime series keeps you wondering right up till the end. Toss in a little covert romance, plenty of suspense and you have a story you will long remember. I received this copy through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. The comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

The mystery aspect of The Black Midnight is really a backdrop to the romance between Annie/Alice, the royal turned Pinkerton detective, and Isaiah Joplin, another Pinkerton detective from Austin Texas. She is forbidden to marry anyone outside of English society, so a Texan is way out of the question. Black Midnight is a society that operates in both America and the UK and they are on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Various suspects are investigated and there is a bit a plot twist at the end. There are some heartwarming moments with Queen Victoria and with Annie being in Austin for Christmas.

The True Colors series is definitely a unique genre of Christian fiction, but I actually have enjoyed every one I have read. Each book has a different author and focuses on crimes from the past, weaving within them a story of characters from that era.

"The Black Midnight" is a book that draws you in, basing some of the story in Austin, Texas, and other portions in London, England. As the world reels from Jack the Ripper's crimes, Queen Elizabeth suspects his crimes began earlier--in 1884 Texas. She enlists the help of her wayward granddaughter, Alice Ann von Wettin, who chose to leave England to become a Pinkerton investigator. There is a catch, though--the Queen wants to send along some backup for Alice Ann.

The book is really interesting and harkens back to dark Victorian alleys with predators lurking around every corner. To learn about the Pinkerton Agency and its agents was a cool twist to link the characters, and the romance element was believable.

If you enjoy spooky books like those of Jaime Jo Wright's or Victorian suspense novels by writers such as Michelle Griep, this is a great mix of the two. I can't wait to continue to watch this series. It's captivated me from the first book and I hope it keeps going!

I was an early reader, thanks to #NetGalley and Barbour Books.

A captivating read, telling the story of a killer or killers; fictional, yet with some facts included.

In this work of historical fiction, Y’barbo poses the possibility of a connection between Jack the Ripper and a serial killer who terrorized Austin, Texas just three years earlier. Y’barbo’s obvious research creates a fascinating read. Skillfully interwoven into the facts of the cases is the investigation—and subsequent romance—of fictional Pinkerton agents Alice and Isaiah, whose banter will keep readers turn the pages as much as the killer they are hunting.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Not my favorite in this series. I loved Kathleen Y'Barbo's books that were part of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, but I just couldn't get into this one. I didn't feel like Ike had enough conflict over the girl he seemed almost engaged to in the first chapter. It was like she just went out the window for the next 80% of the book. I kept wondering if I'd even read that first part correctly or missed something.
I didn't really like the 4 year time jump toward the end. It wasn't close enough to the end to be like an epilogue, and there was no catch-up on what had happened. Everyone just picked up where they left off, and their conversations seemed more like only a few weeks had passed.
I did like the historical aspects of the book, the investigation of various actual historical leads on the Whitechapel murders. I think the history was aptly researched.
I just found the story a little slow, and a few plot holes a little distracting.

The Black Midnight is the third of the True Color series that I have read and this is by far my favorite. Crime and suspense is part of the story but I was pleased that the relationship between the main characters was in the forefront. It helped lighten the weight of the crime and death of the story line and it was such a relief for me.

The characters were well written and had depth despite the short time that the story covers. It kept the reader in suspense what would take place although the reader was hoping for a particular ending to the story. The crime was not completely solved and left questions in the reader’s mind to determine the true events.

I really enjoyed the story and felt like it was an easy read. I felt as if it was well written and would like to read other books written by Kathleen Y’Barbo because I thoroughly enjoyed this book and her style of writing. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.

3 1/2 stars rounded up. I have heard of Jack the Ripper but didn't realize there was a possible connection to a string of murders in Austin Texas, as well as a possible link to the Royal Family in London.

This was a super fun little twist of a story about two Pinkerton detectives who are trying to solve a slew of unsolved mysteries. We travel from Texas to London and get to watch as these two friends come together in their work as well as personal relationships.

Possible Spoiler Alert:
I didn't realize these murders were never solved! So while I enjoyed the story overall, there was no resolution.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest opinion.

I have really enjoyed the True Colors series, a series based on true American crime. This is an enjoyable mystery, centering around two unsolved crimes that have some similarities. I believe these are the first unsolved crimes in the series, hence a little more fiction than actual fact. However, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying the escapades of two Pinkerton detectives and their link to British royalty. I personally liked the portion of the story that centered around the crime spree in Austin, Texas. That is a previously unknown story that I found fascinating.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.

This is a great series, based on true crime events, for fans of historical fiction.

The author weaves in facts about serial murder cases from the 1880s (in London and Houston) and introduces fictional characters based on Pinkerton detectives. Alice Ann was an easy character to like. She's sharp and well-crafted. As a fan of all things royal, I liked the addition of the royal family, too. The pace was a bit slower than I prefer, but it was an enjoyable tale overall.

Be sure to check out the information at the end of the book which explains what's fictional and factual.

If you are a history lover and enjoy England, you will enjoy this book. Well, you will get a bit of a tour of London. Though we start in Austin, Texas. We are introduced to every strong Pinkerton detective and her partner. We seem to have unsolved murders in Texas. But our detectives seem to be quite busy otherwise while chasing down a killer.

Will Annie and her partner Isaiah solve the murders in Austin and London? Will they find the killer that is killing women in their beds in Austin and the connection with the killing in London? The queen seems to want her great-granddaughter to look into them with her friend from Texas.

The pages will make you want to read until the last page. You will be on your toes and turning or sliding your pages up reading until the end. Is the killer Jack the Ripper, or is it someone else? You will be trying to guess and figure out along with the Pinkerton detectives in their investigations.

I felt like I was investigating along with them trying to find the killer of the mysterious deaths. You do get pulled into experience the London along the way. Who or What is the Black Midnight? Is the Midnight Assassin the same person as The Black Midnight or Jack the Ripper?

All fans of historical fiction and crime will love this book and the series. It had me wanting more. It is in does go into details about investigations but not a lot into the deaths of killings. This is good in that way. What does the Prince want with his daughter? Why is he trying to bring his daughter home? Who is Annie Walters? Will she give herself away? What up with Cameron Blake and his reporting. Some entertaining story plots are going on. We go on as adventure with this one.

The Black Midnight
Kathleen Y'Barbor

What can I say about "Back Midnight" except it is a another great book in the "True Crime" series. This is the 7th book in the great series. All book are stand alone and are cases that are true.

This book is about Anne Walters who is a Pinkerton detective who was sent to work with Isiah Joplin. Annie has a secret that might change here relationship with Isiah . She is the great grand daughter of no other than the queen of England Victoria.

The story is set in 1889 in Austin Texas were Annie and Isiah were hunting for a person they called the Midnight Assassin. He had killed 8 people between 1884 and 1885. Could it be the same person called the Whitechapel killer aka. Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper killed August 31, 1888 and November 9, 1888.

This book the very suspenseful! It was hard to put down.

At the end of the book The author includes information about is real fact and what is false in this adventurous novel

I give this book a 5 out of 5

I will recommend book to friends and family through Facebook, bookbud, Goodreads, Amazon and my blog

I received this complimentary copy of this e-book from netgalley. I am under no obligation to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Each of Kathleen Y'Barbo's True Colors suspense novels has been quite interesting. This one features a serial killer in Austin TX and the Jack the Ripper murders in London England. Could the same man be the murderer in both? That's for Pinkerton detectives, Alice Anne von Wettin great granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and Isaiah Joplin, must determine along with figuring out if the mysterious Black Midnight group played a part in one or both.

I enjoyed that the romance played a backdrop in this storyline with most of the focus on the serial killer in Austin. Alice Anne is definitely trying to spread her wings and be known for her work rather than her relationship to the Queen. Isaiah (aka Ike) loves Alice Anne's spirit, keen observations, and dedication to her job, and they work well together. Full of historical detail on each of the serial murders, Y'Barbo handled them well without lurid detail which both the series of murders included. Suspects were eliminated; but since it is widely known that neither series was ever solved, the ending continued to leave the murders unresolved. The Queen Victoria touches were delightful.

Another good addition to the True Colors series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.