The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2) by Jennifer Kincheloe: A Book Review

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Anna Blanc Mystery #2)
Author: Jennifer Kincheloe
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Release Date: 2017
Pages: 304
Source: This book was given to me by the publisher and the audiobook was given to me by Audiobookworm Promotions blog tour in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis: In early-1900s Los Angeles-- an era of courting, ragtime, suffragettes, and widespread corruption-- a socialite turned police matron tracks down the murderer of a white woman in Chinatown, while trying to prevent the outbreak of a bloody tong war.

Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret, reluctantly helped by the good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent local leader.

Meanwhile, the kidnapping of two slave girls fuels existing tensions, leaving Chinatown poised on the verge of a bloody tong war. Joe orders Anna to stay away, but Anna is determined to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.

My Review: Former socialite Anna Blanc is a police matron at the Los Angeles Police Department. She and her former boyfriend, Joe Singer, discover the body of a missionary woman in Chinatown. If news of the body would be released, there would be a backlash against the Chinese. To prevent this from happening, Anna and Joe decides to investigate the murder secretly. Can they find the murderer before information about the murder gets leaked?

As I expected from The Secret Life of Anna Blanc, there was very little improvement with Anna in The Woman in the Camphor Trunk. I had thought that since she was on her own, she would be a bit more mature. However, it seems that she was still the same annoying character, and I still disliked her greatly. She is still very manipulative, selfish, and immature. She made a lot of silly actions that I couldn't understand. Therefore, I was very disappointed in Anna as a character because she did not evolve as a character.

Overall, there was a bit of an improvement in The Woman in the Camphor Trunk. All the characters have very little character development. I thought that the reason for Anna and Joe’s break-up was very foolish and was handled in a childish manner. However, I really like the mystery aspect and was intrigued that it was inspired by real events. I wished that there was more focus on the mystery rather than the romance. The murder reveal was a bit of a disappointment because the murderer got away. As for the audiobook narration, I enjoyed it because while I did not like the story much, I still thought Moira Quick was a great narrator. I’m still interested in picking up the next Anna Blanc book to see if there is any growth to the characters.

Rating: 2½ out of 5 stars

Guest Post by Elisa DeCarlo: From Corsets to Chemises: Fashion as Liberation

Today's guest writer is Elisa DeCarlo. Elisa DeCarlo has published two novels, Strong Spirits and The Devil You Say as well as The Abortionist's Daughter . Her work is also in a number of anthologies. Elisa has also written and performed a number of solo shows across the country. In 2013, the Exit Press will publish an anthology of her stage work. Elisa was born in Westchester, NY, and grew up there and in New York City. As an actress, she has performed in television, radio and film. In her guest post, Elisa DeCarlo talks women's fashion in the 1910s. Be sure to check out my review of The Abortionist's Daughter soon. Thank you, Mrs. DeCarlo. From Corsets to Chemises: Fashion As Liberation In The Abortionist’s Daughter , which is set in 1916, the evolution of the main character, Melanie Daniels, is not only shown by her thoughts actions, but also her clothes. Since I am an obsessed fashion buff, I had to write about the clothes! Queen Victoria ...

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer by Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein: A Book Review

Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer Author: Samuel Noah Kramer and Diane Wolkstein Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Religion, Mythology Publisher: Harper Perennial Release Date: 1983 Pages: 256 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: With the long-awaited publication of this book, we have for the first time in any modern literary form one of the most vital and important of ancient myths—that of Inanna, the world’s first goddess of recorded history and the beloved deity of the ancient Sumerians. The stories and hymns of Inanna (known to the Semites as Ishtar) are inscribed on clay tablets which date back to 2,000 B.C. Over the past forty years, these cuneiform tablets have gradually been restored and deciphered by a small group of international scholars. In this groundbreaking book, Samuel Noah Kramer, the preeminent living expert on Sumer, and Diane Wolkstein, a gifted storyteller and folklorist, have retranslated, order...

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Chantal Gadoury: Allerleirauh

Today's guest writer is Chantal Gadoury. She is the author of Allerleirauh , a retelling of the lesser known fairytale by the Brothers Grimm. In this guest post, she explores the history behind the Grimm's fairytale. I have a lifelong passion for fairytales, and I look forward to reviewing Allerleirauh soon! I hope this guest post gives you some insight into her fairytale retelling. Thank you, Mrs. Gadoury! Allerleirauh There’s always a story behind a story, whether we as the readers know that or not. Behind every great fairy tale, there is a place where it made origin; an event or person that influenced the past cultures to create the stories that we all know and love today. Even the untold fairy tales, like “Allerleirauh,” have a place in origin. It’s hard to say, “Yes! This is exactly how this story came to be,” but it can give a general idea of how a story might have been created. ...

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