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Book Review: The Innocents

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Title: The Innocents

Author: C.A. Asbrey

Publication Date: April 19, 2018

Genre: Historical Mystery, Mystery Romance

Cover:

The cover features a woman’s back set against a Victorian-style house. I found the cover to be somewhat dark, making it difficult to distinguish details, and I do not believe it is an ideal match for the quality of the story found inside.

Premise

Abigail MacKay is a force to be reckoned with as a female Pinkerton detective sent to Wyoming to gather intel on a train robbing gang known as The Innocents. Led by Nat Quinn and Jake Conroy, The Innocents steal from the banks and railroad but never harm a railroad patron or worker. However, a kidnapping and murder thrust Abi and The Innocents into a temporary truce to catch the criminals and make them pay for their crimes. Abi swears to turn Nat and Jake into the law once the case is solved. But this case will call on their combined skills and daring to untangle the mystery. Will this teamwork blur the lines between Abi and the gang, or will she make good on her promise?

Why I chose this book:

While I usually remember how I come across certain books and what draws me to them, The Innocents is an exception! I’m not sure how this book came to be on my reading list, but I’m certainly happy it did!

First Impression:

The Innocents opens with a chance encounter between Abigail MacKay and Nat Quinn on a train platform and then quickly shifts to a train robbery. Asbrey keeps the story moving quickly while capturing the wildness of the old west.

What I loved:

Asbrey is skilled at describing the setting and the characters with unique word choices. Phrases such as “caustic sun” and “impenetrable scars” leave the reader with vivid images. In addition, her dialogue, especially between Abi and Nat, is witty, historically accurate, and often quite humorous. I found myself smiling while reading multiple interactions between the two. This added a fun element to what is ultimately a tale surrounding a double murder.

As previously noted, The Innocents is a mystery, and Asbrey keeps the reader guessing right up until the very end. She adds in just enough characters to ensure the reader won’t easily determine who is responsible for the crimes. In the end, Abi uses the most cutting-edge technology available in 1868 to establish motive, solve the mystery, and guarantee that justice is served.

Additional Thoughts:

While reading The Innocents, I repeatedly thought about two themes.. First, I was impressed with Abi’s bravery and intellect, and it inspired me to do a little research on the first real-life female Pinkerton detective, Kate Warne. It was women like Kate who laid the foundation for other women to follow them in the male-dominated industry of law enforcement. As Abi stated, “You have no idea what it’s like being a woman in that world. I have to prove myself constantly.” (Page 134) As women, we owe a great debt to our female ancestors, who proved themselves time and time again as capable professionals.

The book’s second theme made me think about whether bad people can do good things and whether good people can do bad things? This concept came up frequently as the main characters made decisions guided by their personal moral compasses.

Quotable Quotes:

• Was this how mourning ended? Did someone fill the gaping maws of loneliness in an instant, or did life creep back by inches? (Page 2)
• “You expect me to make your life easier? Have you ever met any Scottish women? It’s not something we’re famous for.” (Page 7)
• “I’m only a lady in my spare time, and I don’t get a lot of that.” (Page 106)
• “I’ve never understood why prostitutes are considered worse than the men who use them. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s a hypocrite.” (Page 126)
• “I was taught justice is blind, but you also seem to want to make her as deaf and dumb, too.” (Page 158)
• “That’s one of the most sneaky and underhanded things you’ve ever suggested.” Nat’s eyes sparkled. “I like it.” (Page 181)
• The realization suddenly hit her that she’d been living again. Really living. Not just wading through the minutiae of existence as she’d been doing for the last few years. Visions of lost faces flashed across her mind’s eye, along with survivor’s guilt and a sense of loss. It seemed wrong to embrace any kind of satisfaction in the face of so much death, but she’d done it without even noticing. Life crept up on her and dragged her back in while she waded through nothingness. Was this recovery? Did the gnawing ache in her breast fade from black to shades of gray until it was light enough to reveal who she now was? Did she even know who she now was? (Page 208)

Who might enjoy this book:

The Innocents is ideal for readers who enjoy historical mysteries with just a touch of romance and humor.

Overall Impression:

Five stars. The Innocents combines elements from historical fiction, mystery, and romance to create an engrossing story that entertains. From beautiful descriptions to amusing dialogue, Asbrey has created a mystery series that is sure to grab the reader’s attention and hold it until the very end. I look forward to continuing the cat and mouse game between Detective MacKay and The Innocents!

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