Another Pinkerton detective goes undercover, this time working as a Harvey girl, hoping to crack the case of two unsolved murders that has even the local sheriff stumped. The only problems are that the sheriff has a strong prejudice against Pinkertons, and she's avoided working in kitchens her whole life! The sparks fly when the cynical sheriff finds out her true identity, and the kitchen is literally set on fire by Katie, whose training seems harder to her than bringing down a tough criminal. Can they figure out a way to work together and find the murderer in time before he kills again?
Funny situations, romantic tension, plenty of action and snappy dialogue made this yet another enjoyable read. Margaret Brownley's books never fail to make me smile! The interesting historical details that get worked into the story (also included at the end) made this feel very authentic. Those Harvey girls worked hard! Law enforcement had little to work with in the 1880's too, using mostly their intuition and attention to details. The mystery kept me guessing up to the end, with plenty of red herrings thrown in along the way. The spiritual theme of trusting God came through clearly in both the main characters' lives.

Recommend for fans of western themed Christian fiction! This is the third book in the series, but don't worry if you haven't read the others, as it is a stand alone. (You will want to read the other two after this though, so you don't miss any of the fun.) 4.5 stars

(Book provided in exchange for my honest review.)

I have been interested in the Pinkertons for quite and this story was an amusing addition for me to read about their methods. I liked the story and the characters were likable and real. I liked the first book in the series and this one was better.

A very clean story. I would reccomend this to teens and young adullts.Very suitable for collects at relgious schools.

The Calico Spy is the third installment of the Undercover Ladies series. This book is so fun and is a favorite of the series.
Great book!
Highly recommended!
100 stars.

This was such a fun story! I loved the characters and the story was excellent. It was one of those stories that was enjoyable to read. I want to read more by this author.

The characters were so much fun. Katie was easy to relate to and I loved her spunk. She wasn't afraid to stand on her own and take risks, but she wasn't obnoxious. Branch was probably a very typical man for the time period, yet he was able to put his prejudices aside with time.

The story was well paced and had some great action that included some lighthearted moments as well as some very touching. There were several storylines within the story, but they didn't muddy the story. In hindsight there were clues that identified at least one of the culprits. However, I was enjoying the story that I missed them.

This is my first book by this author but definitely not my last. I would recommend this to people who enjoy historical fiction that have action, romance, and mystery.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Calico Spy is Book 3 in the Undercover Ladies series. I have read books one and two, but don’t feel that you need to in order to enjoy this book. It is great as a stand alone title. The Undercover Ladies series follows female Pinkerton detectives on the case of their lives. In Calico Spy, Katie Madison is sent to Calico to find out who has killed not one, but two Harvey girls. And it’s her job stop them before another one gets hurt. But she’s not the only one who feels that way. Branch Whitman, the town’s sheriff has never met a Pinkerton Detective that he’s liked, and doesn’t feel like starting now. Katie sparked an interest the first time he met her, but he doesn’t need another woman in his life. When they finally decide to work together to solve the case they find out that they make a good team. Will they be able to solve the murders before it’s too late? Can Branch take a chance on finding a partner for life? This story is full of twists and turns. Margaret Brownley made all of the characters interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, This wasn’t the first book I have read by Brownley and it won’t be my last. I received a copy of this book from Shiloh Run Press and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the third in the Undercover Ladies series and while I have enjoyed them all, I think this may be the best one yet. The combination of mystery, humor, and romance makes for a very enjoyable reading experience.

As with the others, our main character is an undercover Pinkerton detective. Katie has the assignment of solving the murder of two women in Calico, Kansas. She takes a job as a Harvey girl in the town's Harvey House. It's one of Harvey restaurants that serves quick meals to train passengers during the short stop the train makes there. The murder victims were Harvey girls and Pinkerton figures the best way to solve the crime is for Katie to be on the inside.

Brownley adds to that mystery by including a town sheriff who hates Pinkerton operatives. But Branch, a handsome widower, grudgingly realizes he'll have to work with Katie if he wants to identify the murderer. Before too long he finds he is counting her freckles and admiring her auburn hair.

Brownley has added plenty of additional elements to this mystery and romance to make the novel very interesting reading. I enjoyed finding out about the Harvey House idea, restaurants providing meals for those traveling through on the railroad. It was hard, but interesting, to read about tornadoes that rolled through the area. One newborn had been preserved in the deadly tornado eight years before by having been put in the oven of a cast iron stove. There is also the whole idea of investigating murders in the late 1800s, without the use of modern techniques.

The characters in the novel are well done. Brownley has added many secondary characters with stories of their own that add to the enjoyment of the novel. One of the Harvey girls has run away from her abusive husband. The matron of the girls is a stern woman whose fiance was killed in the Civil War. One of the kitchen girls is a young black woman who knows she'll never be allowed to work with the public. It was fascinating to read how these women grew during the course of the story.

There are important issues in the novel too. Besides those of the women I mentioned, Branch has a huge decision to make. He must face the choice of placing the child he loves into the hands of God, knowing he may lose him. It is a choice like Abraham's and it greatly tests Branch's faith.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a good historical mystery interwoven with romance and sprinkled with humor. I really enjoyed it. There are discussion questions provided so it would make a good choice for a reading group.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Margaret Brownley is a New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels and was a RITA finalist and INSPY nominee. You can find out more about her and her novels at www.margaret-brownley.com.

Shiloh Run Press, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Review will be in Feb 1, 2016 issue of Library Journal

Katie is sent out on a new case. She's a Pinkerton detective and there have been two murders at the Harvey House she is infiltrating. She's no waitress but she's going to have to learn fast. Working on the inside should give her a better chance at identifying the killer. The sheriff isn't impressed. He thinks she's putting herself in danger.

Barbour Publishing and Net Galley gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published tomorrow and there are others in this series, too. They are all good reads.

You can tell that Katie and the sheriff will most likely be a couple before the story ends. They have a ways to go before that happens, though.

The sheriff has a son but he's a widower. Katie's love only used her to get close to her older sister. They both aren't interested in new commitments. But they do have to work together to try to identify the killer.

In addition to the murder mystery, there's an abused wife hiding from her husband and the return of the sheriff's boy's father. His mother said he was dead. No he'd just run off. And now he wants "his" son and the inheritance that comes with him. All these things climax at the same time the mystery is being solved.

The strange older woman in the story wasn't loosing her mind, it did involve someone from Harvey House, and the killer was someone I didn't suspect. This is a good read set in the old west days and the author writes a smooth satisfying story. Give it a read. I'd recommend reading the whole series.

Thoughts:

Inside CALICO SPY, author Margaret Brownley brings us back to 1880 and puts us in the middle of Calico, Kansas with a lawman, a Pinkerton detective, two murders, a strict restaurateur, and danger hovering over everyone!

Sheriff Branch Whitman's disappointment is palpable after two women were killed, but the perpetrator was good enough to leave nothing but a shoe behind. The trail was cold, the evidence was sparse, and his shoulders bore the brunt of it all. Fortunately, Calico had rebounded from rebuilding after a tornado took many citizens to their grave, including his own wife. With the help of a train, this town was finally doing well, but this sheriff needed to keep everyone safe meaning late nights, time away from his son, and chasing every whisper especially those over the bank.

Finding out that Mr. Harvey had hired a Pinkerton detective since his employees were murdered sets Branch on edge. The history of this detective agency is not the best, and he doesn't need another killed because of this detective's mistake. However, while running after the man, he discovers the newest Harvey Girl out for a nightly stroll. Did she not know that she could end up dead?

"Katie Madison" admired the town as she tried to get the lay of the land only to find herself on the ground. She'd been meaning to meet up with the sheriff and have the truth come out, but in no time at all, she was all too glad to remain silent.

Another badge who thought women were better at home only added him to the ever growing heap of them. Well, she may have been upended by the mess the man created, but it wouldn't last. Katie will continue her investigation alone. It wouldn't be the first time, she'd done better by herself. Although, she does admit to his good looks, but she still keeps the sheriff on the suspect list until proven otherwise.

However, he's not the only dangerous man around these parts, and her investigation was beginning to stall. She must wonder if a crime that involves the sheriff's son could be somehow connected?

Would this murderer ever meet justice?

***This opinion is my own.***

Preview:

Margaret Brownley's CALICO SPY is a western mystery tale about a town built from the ashes of disaster.

A Pinkerton detective is in Calico, Kansas to solve two murders. The difficulty in solving this one is that she can't trust the sheriff. Katie Madison has no back up and worries about her cover getting blown since posing as a Harvey Girl is harder than dealing with criminals. She can't solve the murder of their employees if she can't keep the job but keeping the job is proving almost impossible.

Her story only gets worse once she meets this town's sheriff.

Sheriff Branch Whitman makes it known that he's searching for the Pinkerton detective, and his reason is not a nice one.

Katie's suspects are many. Her cover comes close to the end, and she's beginning to like many of the people in Calico. Meanwhile, she's involved in more than one crime, can't trust anyone, and is wondering about this sheriff by the time the man's son even comes into focus.

Can these two even get along to catch a killer or will the truth lead somewhere either doesn’t want to go?

The Calico Spy by Margaret Brownley is the third book in the Undercover Ladies series. Katie Madison (her undercover name) is a Pinkerton Agent. Her latest assignment is to go undercover as a Harvey Girl in Calico, Kansas (it is 1880) to find out who murdered two Harvey Girls. Katie is always successful at her assignments and believes this one will be no different (even though it is her first murder case and she has never been a waitress before).

Sheriff Branch Whitman is puzzled by the two murders. How did the killer get the women outside the Harvey House? It is supposedly locked up tight at lights out. Why were these two women killed? Can Branch find the killer before he strikes again? The last thing Branch wants is a Pinkerton Agent in his town. He cannot stand them (they are usually very unscrupulous). Branch is hoping to dissuade the man and send him packing. Branch was not expecting a woman! Can Branch and Katie work together to solve the case?

The Calico Spy was just a delight to read. I normally do not read westerns, but I thought I would give this book a chance since it contained a mystery. I am so glad that I did. The novel is well-written with enjoyable characters. I just zipped through this book. It will have you laughing out loud. The Calico Spy is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read alone (as I did). The Calico Spy has mystery, humor, and a little romance. All great traits for a very good book. The mystery is simple and extremely easy to solve (but that did not bother me).

I received a complimentary copy of The Calico Spy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Action and adventure follows Katie into her undercover job as a Harvey Girl waitress. As a Pinkerton Detective she is sent to Calico, Kansas to solve the mystery of the murder of two Harvey Girls. I had not known about Harvey Girls or that so many women had actually been Pinkerton detectives. She fits right in and teaches the local Sheriff a thing or two. Such interesting characters. The working of a Railroad station restaurant, family, a child, an ornery cat and tornadoes! This book was so interesting.. Cackelberries?? I loved the language she used for that time period! I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a good clean historical mystery with a good dose of romance..
*I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Some history, romance, humor, and mystery make this story ridiculously awesome! I didn't want to put the book (Kindle) down! I enjoyed Margaret Brownley's previous books in the series and I actually wanted to go back and re-read them to get the full effect. I definitely recommend this book!

I loved this book. It is full of humor, mystery, romance and fun. I found it interesting to read a bit more about the Pinkerton Agency and about one the first female detectives at the end of the book. Great book!

Pinkerton operative Katie Madison s newest case takes her to Calico, Kansas, where two Harvey House restaurant waitresses were murdered in mysterious circumstances. Calico s sheriff, Branch Whitman, has never met a Pink he liked and is stunned to learn the pretty redhead s true identity as she works undercover as a Harvey girl. A tornado hits town, and a past deception puts Branch s eight-year-old-son in danger. Now the Sheriff has no choice but to work with Katie or chance losing everything he holds dear.

Another winner in n the Pinkerton detective series. A feisty heroine and a hunky sheriff make for a fun mystery and romance. I have not read a bad story yet by this author. Great charcters, story and author. A wonderful combination and I highly recommend this book. Even if this is the first you have read it will grab you and hold you to the end. Eagerly await the next book.

This one is such a fun story!

First time reading Margaret Brownley But it won't be the last how I missed this fun packed book beats me. Even though this Lady Pinkerton is on the trail of a murderer there is a romance side and lots of slapstick comedy. You will have to read for yourself the many adventures I was provided a copy of this title byBarbour Publishing, Inc. in exchange for an honest review

A fun conclusion to the series! I loved the characters and setting with a fun mystery.