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.

In December 1884 two Pinkerton agents are on the heels of the Midnight Assassin in Austin, Texas; in 1888 they reunite in London, England in pursuit of the White Chapel murderer. Could he be one and the same person? So many suspects including relatives of both detectives! Will we ever know the identity of this vicious killer?

A novel about Jack the Ripper was not high on my need-to-read list but since I have really enjoyed Barbour Publishing’s True Colors series and being a fan of Kathleen Y’Barbo it was a must read for me.

I loved Miss Hattie and her bossy ways. I grimaced every time Cameron Blake showed up. He annoyed me so. Annie with her independent, stubborn spirit was not what she appeared to be, but when her cover was blown, Ike lost the best partner he’d ever had. The history was well researched and the story flowed well between fact and fiction. I really enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC of this book from Barbour Publishing through Net Galley.

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.

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!!

I finished reading "The Black Midnight" by Kathleen Y'Barbo, and it was good. 4⭐. This book is from the True Colors series, historical stories of American crimes, and it is about the Midnight Assassin from Austin, Texas and the Whitechapel murderer in London. It is a romantic suspence, and it is an easy quick read.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."

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.