The Black Midnight is a captivating story of historical fiction. The Black Midnight starts off in Austin Texas with a string of murders. Annie is sent to help solve the murders and works with fellow detective, Isaiah. They are trying to solve the murders and gather information, however, despite their best efforts, emotion takes over and they are finding themselves under the mistletoe! Who is Annie really? Will Isaiah (called Ike at times) ever know her for who she really is?

The book does starts off at one time period and then goes back in time, which was a little confusing, but it worked itself out in the end. I did enjoy this book as I have enjoyed other books in this series! The history mixed with the fiction is fascinating. The story is enjoyable and fun. I was given a free electronic copy of the book for my honest review. I would recommend this book.

This action-packed story follows two Pinkerton detectives as they investigate a string of killings in Austin, Texas and then in London in the 1880s. It is full of action, a little romance, and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a great example of truth being stranger than fiction. I loved the story, but thought parts of it weren't very realistic only to learn from the author's notes at the end of the book that those were the true parts of the story! The story explored a serial killer who operated in Austin, Texas in the mid-1880s and a serial killer in London a few years later. While the police investigated, two Pinkerton agents are also on the perpetrators' trails. The question is, are the two killers one and the same?

I have enjoyed Y'Barbo's books in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, and am thrilled for her to have joined Barbour's True Colors series. She is a wonderful author and a thorough researcher. I recommend this book, series, and author. I am grateful to have received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Black Midnight had a great concept, playing with one of several theories going around concerning the Jack the Ripper murders: that they are connected to similar murders that occurred a few years prior in Austin, Texas.

And to a certain extent, the book is convincing in working with these connections and making the possibility they were committed by the same person believable. I also feel like I learned something about the Midnight Assassin case, which I wasn’t familiar with before.

And the idea of having the heroine be a relation of Queen Victoria is a cool one, as it allows her access to the Queen in a way not many others would have, and while her being a Pinkerton agent is a bit implausible, I could forgive it for the sense of gravitas it lent to the Ripper case as it proceeded, particularly when her relative, Prince Eddy, is implicated.

However, I found myself perplexed at Annie’s exact biological relationship to the Queen, as it’s a mathematical impossibility for her to be Victoria’s great-granddaughter as it is repeatedly stated (presumably daughter to one of the other children of the future Edward VII, given how she refers to Prince Eddy as her “uncle.” Prince George (George V) did not marry Mary of Teck until 1893, and she was actually engaged to his brother prior to Prince Eddy’s untimely death. Eddy and George’s younger sister, Louise, did not marry until the year the book is set. This anachronism may not bother others (and for all I know it could be corrected in the final copy), but it really bothered me, especially since the author presented herself as a history buff.

However, the book is still fairly solid and apart from those nitpicks. If you like true crime and speculating about “what if these two cold cases are connected?” them you might like this.

The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y'Bargo is a historical fiction in the True Colors series. The main characters, Alice Anne von Wettin (Annie) and Isaac (Ike) Joplin, who work for The Pinkerton Agency, keep the reader's attention from the very beginning of the book. The story takes the reader from Austin TX with the murders of young women to London England where people are being murdered and terrorized by Jack the Ripper in the 1880's.

Annie is the great granddaughter of the Queen of England, although only one person in the US is aware of that until much later in the story. Although there is romance between Annie and Isaac throughout the book, Annie knows nothing can come of it due to the fact that the Queen must approve of any marriage in the royal family and she knows that will not happen since Isaac is an American.

I really enjoyed the author's notes at the end of the book which gives a great deal of information about the history of the book.

I really enjoyed the book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and received it through Net Galley and was under no obligation to post a review.

This was a very good addition to this series. I didn't know anything about the Midnight Assassin case in Texas. It was very interesting reading it and hearing about the possibility of being linked to Jack the Ripper. The characters were likeable and I enjoyed their banter. I also loved the inclusion of Queen Victoria along with other real life characters. The author did a great job of weaving this story together and also in sharing her research. Will definitely look for more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and Netgalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y’Barbo is the newest addition in the True Crimes series. It is 1889 and Alice Anne von Wettin is called to meet with her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Alice Anne is known for solving puzzles and the queen is asking for her help in solving the greatest mystery. Who is killing the women in Whitechapel? She is told to assemble her team. Rewind to December 1885, Alice is now undercover as Annie Walters, working the Midnight Assassin murders in Austin, Texas with fellow Pinkerton detective, Isaiah Joplin. Gruesome murders are occurring in the dead of night by a suspect who seems to vanish into think air. It is a race against time as Annie and Isaiah gather clues in the hopes to identify the killer before he strikes again. In the meantime, Annie struggles whether to tell Isaiah who she really is. Will he understand? Will he see her differently? Will they catch their killer? Are the murders in Austin connected to the murders in Whitechapel?
The Midnight Assassin killed eight people between December 30, 1884 and December 24, 1885. The Whitechapel killer, who would become known as Jack the Ripper, killed between August 31, 1888 and November 9, 1888. The Black Midnight explores the theory that the two killers are one and the same. The story is interesting as it connects the two killers, however, it was not as exciting or gripping as other titles in this series. Perhaps because there is no real conclusion as the killers or killer isn’t caught. I may go back and read it again, just in case there was something I missed to make it more interesting. I have enjoyed the True Crime series as it takes real American Crimes and spins a story around it. I highly recommend The Black Midnight and other titles in this series.

The Black Midnight
is available in paperback and eBook

The Black Midnight by Kathleen Y’Barbo
Publication Date: August 1, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“Two Series of Murders Seem Mysteriously Connected.

Three years before Jack the Ripper began his murderous spree on the streets of London, women were dying in their beds as The Midnight Assassin terrorized the citizens of Austin, Texas. Now, with suspicion falling on Her Majesty’s family and Scotland Yard at a loss as to who the Ripper might be, Queen Victoria summons her great-granddaughter, Alice Anne von Wettin, a former Pinkerton agent who worked the unsolved Austin case, and orders her to discreetly form a team to look into the London matter.

The prospect of a second chance to work with Annie just might entice Isaiah Joplin out of his comfortable life as an Austin lawyer. If his theories are right, they’ll find the The Midnight Assassin and, by default, the Ripper. If they’re wrong, he and Annie are in a bigger mess than the one the feisty female left behind when she departed Austin under cover of darkness three years ago.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley #barbourpublishing #barbourbooks for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
This book is part of the True Colors series, which is a historical Romance fiction based on true American crimes. With this one, it was a combo. It starts off in Austin, Texas where the story was based on 8 murders within December 30, 1884, and December 24, 1885, where the serial killer (never found) became known as the “Servant Girl Annihilator” or “Midnight Assassin. The story ends in London, England where 5 women were killed within August 31 and November 9, 1888,these were known as the Canonical Five and the killer became known as “Jack the Ripper.” It was a quick and good read. I appreciate how Y’Barbo shared some of her research and the way she chose to write the story. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. As a fan of historical fiction I enjoyed this read.

This is the first book of read involving Jack the Ripper. I was left wanting something more. I feel like I connected with the characters, there just wasn't enough action for me.

I enjoyed this latest addition to the True Colors series, novels based on historical mysteries. Each novel is written by a different author so the quality and style of writing differs. I have read them all and this one is one of my favorites.

I am impressed at how Y'Barbo wove the known facts of the two 1880s serial murder cases, the first ones in Houston and the ones following in London, into a very readable story. I liked the fictional introduction of the two genuine Pinkerton detectives into the mix. I liked Alice Ann. I like how Y'Barbo crafted her as in the royal British line. She is a bright young woman with an investigative mind. While her father prevented her from pursuing her abilities in London, a friend gets her the Pinkerton job in Chicago. On assignment in Houston, she is paired with the handsome Isaiah. I liked that Alice kept her royal lineage secret. She wanted to be respected for what she could do, not for her royal identity. And the budding romance between Alice and Isaiah is done well and reminds me of the recent royal family experiences of marrying for love.

Y'Barbo includes information at the back of the book so we readers know exactly which parts of the book are fiction and which are factual.

I really enjoyed the novel. It was well crafted with a style of writing that kept me reading. There is suspense only at the very end but the pace of the investigation kept me interested in the unfolding details of the Houston and London murders. I'll be watching for the next novel by Y'Barbo. .

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Absolutely loved the story! . Kathleen hooks the reader in quickly tempting one with a possible romance and criminal history from the past. It seems to be an impossible union between Queen Victoria's Grand daughter Alice Ann and her colleague Isaiah (Ike), a gentleman from Texas. Will it also be impossible to solve the unsolved murder mysteries in Austin, Texas and the more recent murders in Whitechapel, later to be known as Jack the Ripper.. Could the case of the Midnight Assassin in each countries be the one accomplice? Could Alice Ann's uncle truly be the guilty one?

I loved this book!! Great story!! Second book I have read by this author will read more of her books!! Received this book from netgally!!

Thank you Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read this free advanced copy of this book for my honest opinions.

This was a new author for me and I truly loved reading this book. It was a very quick read and I zoomed through it in a day. This story covered many genres and I’m not much into mysteries but it was a perfect mix of historical fiction with the series of events that occurred in Austin, TX in 1884-85 and then in England in 1888 as the Midnight Assassin and Jack the Ripper. It is also a love story but not really soapy without sex and bad language, pleasant qualities to have in this day and age. I also appreciated that the author didn’t go into graphic detail on the murder scenes but just enough to let the reader know it was horrific and gruesome.

The Black Midnight is a cleverly written mystery and romance based on true historical crimes. The book is well researched, and the author even tells at the end where she kind of bent history a bit to make it work for the book better.
Alice Ann, the queen's granddaughter, worked as a Pinkerton, unbeknownst to her parents. Isaiah Joplin, was also a Pinkerton agent and is now a lawyer. The book starts in 1889, but then smoothly goes back to the events of 1885 when servant women in Austin were being murdered with axes. That part of the story is told and then goes back to 1885 and the deaths of the women in Whitecastle. There is no graphic violence in the book.
The plot has twists and turns as expected for a good mystery and a second-chance romance. Our couple gets their HEA after some difficulties are addressed.
I enjoyed the interactions with the queen. She was sharp and nobody's fool. Her relationship with Alice is sweet, but a little complex with Alice being an investigator, who even has to consider a prince as the suspect.
I have enjoyed the other books in this series that I was privileged to read. Kathleen Y'Barbo is a new author to me, but I hope to read more from her as I thoroughly savored reading The Black Midnight.

As all of the True Color Series The black Midnight is about crimes that actually took place. This one starts in Austin, Texas with a serial killer that was never caught and ends in England with Jack the Ripper. He also was never caught. Could the two possibly be connected, although continents apart? This story includes England's royalty, which makes an interesting part of this story. The book starts off rather slow but picks up as the main characters are working for the Pinkerton Investigating Company, in Texas investigating the murders taking place in the late 1880's of this small town. Y'Barbo has done her research well on both notorious happenings to bring us this Christian Historical novel. There is of course many murders, mystery, intrigue and a forming romance making this a must read.........I received this book from Netgalley and Barbour Publishing but it did in no way influence my review.

I enjoyed this story following the Pinkerton agents as they tried to solve the cases of the Midnight Assassin and Jack the Ripper. I liked that it wasn’t gory or too violent even though it was about a murderer. I did like the bit about royalty.

This is an incredible novel based on a true crime mystery!

I love both of the main characters. Alice Anne / Annie and Isaiah are wonderful. It was a lot of fun to see how Alice Anne keeps so much of her true personality while she is in Austin, living as Annie. The way they interact with each other while both in Texas and then in England is great.

The plot of the mystery is fantastic. I loved going along with the investigators as they searched for clues about the murderer. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the note by the author at the end of the book explaining the actual history behind her story. I love the way she expresses what facts she bent to make them fit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve enjoyed all the true crime novels published by Barbour. They’ve all been pretty fast-moving and interesting, as well as involved some true history.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had my emotions all over the map! I really liked the main characters - Annie is spunky and smart, yet terribly proper as any great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria ought to be. Isaiah (Ike) is also sharp as a tack, and brash like you'd expect from a Texas lawyer. These young Pinkerton detectives tackle two of the most gory serial murders together, yet manage to fall in love...twice! So far, so good. But I admit I felt a bit overwhelmed with detailed evidence that eventually led nowhere; neither case was ever solved. And the ending, while suitably scary for a murder mystery, seemed far fetched for Buckingham Palace. I loved the careful research that went into this novel. Y'Barbo made it easy to feel immersed in the 19th century and really kept my interest. I received a digital copy from Netgalley, and was under no obligation to post a review.

I wish to thank Net Galley and Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love a good fiction and mystery this one is for you. This story begins in the 1800’s in Texas. A young woman is working as a Pinkerton Agent trying to solve a string of murders referred to as the Midnight Assassin. Her partner wants to be more than a partner but she remains professional. Later in the book our heroine returns home to London and works on the Jack the Ripper case. Her partner is once again at her side. The general feeling is that these two murderers are committed by the same person. There are so many great surprises in this story that will keep you reaching for the book to find out what happens next.
A great deal of research must have gone into the writing of this fiction. The way she wove this story around history at the time makes it a joy to read. The two cases are based on fact and she did a nice job of the retelling of gruesome events without making it so descriptively violent. I think this is a mystery you will like.