I love the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series! Jen Turano always has strong female leads who aren't looking for love or a man to rescue them. This story is full of the shenanigans I have come to be excited for!

This book was awesome. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the way the faith aspect blended perfectly into the story.

I love Jen Turano's books! They always make me laugh, and To Disguise the Truth fulfilled everything I look for in Turano's books. If you're looking for a mystery that isn't dark or intense, I highly recommend To Disguise the Truth. This book is full of quirky characters that I totally fell in love with, fantastic banter, witty comebacks, and irony in the utmost. My only disappointment was that I wasn't expecting the killer to confess so easily, but in the end, that added to the humor of the entire book. I have not read the first two books in the series, but this did not affect my understanding or enjoyment in the least. Actually it only increased my desire to read the first two.
If you like historicals that make you laugh instead of cry, I highly recommend giving To Disguise the Truth a try.

Entertaining, fun, and intriguing, I absolutely loved this novel! I was really looking forward to Eunice’s story after reading a bit about her in the first two novels, and I was not disappointed. Eunice and Arthur are the perfect pair with their banter, their adventuring, and their romance. Their relationship starts with the humorous tension I love and then develops realistically into something more. I also really enjoyed the mystery in this novel and the surprisingly twists and turns the author takes in the story. The book is packed with fascinating history from everything from the silver industry to psychiatric asylums. I really liked how the characters grew in their faith. It was easy to stay up late to finish this intriguing book and I greatly enjoyed the novel. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I've read a great many Jen Turano books in my time, and I've really quite enjoyed most of them. Her writing style and the ridiculous situations her characters put themselves in. While this one wasn't my favorite out of all the ones I've read, I did enjoy some of the tropes from this book and I thought it was really fun overall!

My main complaint about this book is its length: it's just under 350 pages, but it felt like it took forever to read. The storytelling seemed really slow and stilted, and jumped from one plot point to another without seeming to progress the plotline all that much. There was also a LOT of background and a lot of characters (some of whom were from previous books, some of whom were not), so the first half of the book was a lot of information to take in. In that regard, I didn't enjoy the book as much, just because there were sections that were so dense.

There were a lot of tropes in this book that I really enjoyed: hidden identity, familial secrets, and previous romance were all in this book, and they were really fun to read. I didn't feel particularly connected to either of the main characters, but I don't really think they were meant to be relatable characters, but rather, more caricatures of characters.

This book had more . . . sexual content than I'd seen in other Jen Turano books? There was a mention of a lady marrying a man 20 years her junior because he was "virile" despite her never having experienced him in bed, even upon their marriage, with the connotation being that he was sleeping with other women. Whether Eunice was a child out of wedlock was in question, and there was also a mention of a man with a woman secretary/assistant that he seemed to pay more than was appropriate <spoiler>(later we find out she's been blackmailing him, and that they haven't been sleeping together)</spoiler>. There was also a mention of a man having a serious accident whereupon he was no longer able to be intimate. I am really unsure as to why there was all this more sexual content, but in my mind it seemed quite unnecessary, at least to go into that level of detail.

All in all, I feel like this book could be significantly shorter than it was, which would have made it much more enjoyable. I liked seeing the end of the series wrap up and a lot of the previous characters come back into play and where they've ended up, and the story was interesting overall. The twists and turns of the story made it really fun to follow, and Eunice's journey was super non-conventional and unique. All in all, if you are a fan of Jen Turano's writing style, stories, and characters, this would be a great book for you!

Upfront, I have to say that Jen Turano is one of my favorite fiction writers. You know how there are some authors whose works you want to read as soon as you hear of its release? Jen Turano belongs to that list.
Having read the first two in The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series, I was excited to learn the last book in the trilogy would be about the mysterious and eccentric Eunice. She’d intrigued me with her widow’s veils and reluctance to be seen. The first sentence in the excerpt is an absolute stunner resulting in another huge mystery. A couple of pages later, one of her secrets is revealed and it’s another doozy. I grabbed a copy of To Disguise the Truth as soon as I could. And then life got in the way, and I had to reluctantly delay my reading which is a shame because this really is a most delightful way to pass the time.

The book is set in 1887, the year writer Nellie Bly’s expose on the Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum was released. Why is this important? The answer is because Eunice also goes undercover at the hospital. Although the plight of the women held there in appalling conditions is a serious one, Turano displays her writing skills with a comedic scene where Eunice must take on several nurses physically in the dining room.

To Disguise the Truth is set during one of my favorite periods of American history: the Gilded Age. It starts as a lighthearted historical romance set in New York City but turns into a strong historical whodunnit set out of state in an unexpected location. One scene had all the suspects gathered in a room while Eunice used her investigation skills to ferret out a killer. It’s also a Christian novel – published by a major Christian publisher – but for most of the book talk of attending church and thoughts of God only crop up in passing during conversations between the characters. There’s no “in your face” preaching until one of the final chapters, and even that’s mild compared to some Christian fiction books I’ve read in the past.

Over the years, Jen Turano has created characters you simply yearn to get to know better. To Disguise the Truth delighted me with Eunice’s story – one I hadn’t possibly imagined – as I’d wanted to know it since reading To Steal a Heart. If you’ve read my review on that book, and the next book To Write a Wrong, you’ll know my favorite character is Winston the pirate dog. I was delighted to see him reappear, even if only for a moment. The character who grabbed me the most this time around, however, was Arthur’s younger brother Chase. I would’ve loved to have seen him have a book to himself, especially after he starts working at the Inquiry Agency. Alas, how he survives will most likely remain a mystery never to be solved.

Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

In 1887, Miss Eunice Holbrooke was considered a rather unconventional young lady. She was wildly independent, practical and very opinionated. She was a very capable businesswoman and could defend herself using her boxing skills. Underneath all of the bravado and confidence was some very real fear and the heart of a romantic. Add to that some charm and vulnerability and we have a character that I loved.

But, what does Arthur think? Arthur thinks there is more to Eunice than meets the eye. As Arthur and Eunice form an alliance of sorts to solve a rather important mystery, they get to know each other. Will they like what they see in each other?

With ample amounts of humor spread throughout, this book was so much fun to read. I really enjoyed when the presumed dead characters, along with trusted friends, showed up in Butte. As they went about solving a years old mystery and covered up murder, it almost felt like we were playing a rather rousing game of CLUE, the board game. So much fun!

Filled with romance, mystery, crimes to solve, very likable characters and humor, this book was an absolute joy to read.

I received complimentary copies of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I honestly was not sure about this book when I first requested it, but I decided to try it out because I needed a new fiction book to read. The cover really drew me in and the synopsis sealed the deal.
The first chapter absolutely drew me in and convinced me to finish the book. The main character is fantastic. She is strong and smart but needs a little more work on her tact and discreetness in undercover work.
There is a through-line of potential romance and the reader is never quite sure if that will be followed through in this book until the last few chapters. The plotline was really well-written and believable between the female and male main characters.
I honestly would love more stories from this author and with these characters at the investigation agency. The supporting characters offer just a little bit of themselves and leave the reader wanting more and the main characters story leaves the reader ready for the next chapter.

4.5 stars

Quick unedited thoughts

If memory serves me correctly I want to say this was my favorite.

It had intrigue, mystery and great characters.

That family is as a mess! Money is the route to evil. Those who believe they deserve another’s wealth/fortune.

This book was quite biblical. Eunice and Arthur’s love story had it all. It is a hate to love. Eunice’s parents story was unbelievable. That grandfather was a menace, but we know most made men road to wealth was a dirty one.

Aunt Helen and Uncle Loyd were joy and laughter.

The nurse/assistant and her tutor son were two peas.

Great to revisit with the Bleaker ladies.

A bookstore without copies of Austen’s books is no bookstore indeed!

Thank you Bethany House for providing an eARC for review.

Jen Turano writes witty mysteries with a twist. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the situations the main characters get into. This final book in the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency finally solves the mystery behind Eunice Holbrook's bizarre efforts to keep herself concealed. I highly recommend reading the earlier books in the series first.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Arthur Livingston arrives out of the blue at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire the agency to seek out a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her.

As with all of Ms. Turano's books there is a little romance and a little mystery. Okay maybe there is more than just a little. And when Arthur wants Eunice to go back return to her home, I did wonder how this would play out. The book did take a number of twists and turns but eventually things were explained. The major problem I had with this book is that it is the conclusion of a three book series and there seems to be a few things not quite resolved or resolved in a paragraph or two that really need more.

I do plan to purchase this book for the library in my church. I do wish there was just a bit more Christian emphasis in the book. However, it is nice to have good clean books that I can recommend to friends who frequent our library.

I would like to than the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my copy of the book.

What a super fun and engaging read! Jen Turano knocked this story out of the park. I have been eagerly awaiting Eunice’s story since book 1, and I can say To Disguise the Truth was well worth the wait. I loved everything about this book: the plot is highly engaging and fast-paced, the characters are FANTASTIC, and the themes are quite timely and relatable. I like that my emotions went all over the place with this book. When Eunice is undercover in the asylum, I was terrified. When she takes an entire group of abusive nurses on, I was cheering out loud! The romance that blossoms between Arthur and Eunice is slow-going, but so satisfying and made my heart SO super happy. And there are tons and tons of moments where I laughed out loud. Truly, this book had me feeling all the feels.

Eunice is one of the coolest heroines I’ve ever read. She is SO capable. Yes, she is impressively beautiful and intelligent, but her most impressive quality is her James Bond-like ability to take care of herself. And Arthur is a great hero. I love how clueless he is about his feelings until they wallop him in the face. I love how big and strong he is, and how this gives Eunice a sense of safety that she really hasn’t ever felt before. It makes me weak in the knees when a hero is a protector! Lastly, I love the many excellent themes weaved throughout the storyline. My favorite is the discussion in regard to disguising ourselves in order to feel a sense of control. We all wear different masks throughout our lives for many unique reasons. Some of us, however, wear masks when we really shouldn’t. When we get too comfortable in our masks all we’re really doing is isolating ourselves from real love, friendship, intimacy, and/or help. It is pretty important for our mental and emotional well-being to learn when to mask and when to trust those around us. What a really timely reminder for us all!

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano is an excellent read. I loved every minute of this storyline and will miss spending time with these characters. What a great end to a truly delightful series! I highly, highly recommend this fantastic story, and cannot wait to see what Turano has in store for us readers.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

To Disguise the Truth is the third installment in the highly engaging Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency series. Each book stands alone, but by reading in order you get to know some excellent characters a little better.

This final offering lifts the veil, literally, on the agency founder, Eunice Holbrooke. The enigmatic Eunice has only been seen in widow’s weeds since book one, with no real explanation as to why she’s been wearing them for years. However, at the start of the book, she’s sitting across from a man she shot some years previously. Just like that, the novel kicks off into the mayhem, witty repartee and complex situations.

Meanwhile, Arthur Livingstone just wants help to find Montana heiress Eugenia Howland, so he can prove she’s alive and stop her conniving relatives from stealing her inheritance. He’s also keen to fulfill a promise made to Eugenia’s grandfather, that in the event of his untimely death, he would marry and care for her. Something Eugenia had no interest in.

It doesn’t take long for Arthur to figure out who Eunice really is, but getting her home and solving her grandfather’s death is anything but simple. This book is great. Turano proves again she is the mistress of the plot twist, the tension building and the hilarious but touching outcome. Bravo. Definitely recommended.

To Disguise the Truth
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whooo! This book was so much fun! Jen Turano never disppoints with her wit and lovable characters. I truly enjoyed every bit of it. Can't wait for her next book.

Jen Turano knows how to make quirky characters and write an interesting story. To Disguise the Truth definitely fit the bill. The story was a bit slow at first but it quickly picked up pace and I devoured it in a few days. I really enjoyed this book and I'm sure you will too.

To Disguise the Truth is another delightfully humorous historical book from Jen Turano. This is the third book in the Bleecker Street Inquiry series.
Arthur Livingston has a deadline to meet, and he must find Eugenia Howland before she is declared legally dead. He is trying to convince Miss Eunice Holbrooke that this is a case that the agency must take on. Eunice is reluctant to do such, and she already knows where Eugenia is… by looking in a mirror. It will take the other detectives to help out with this case once they go to Montana, but they must finish the case at the insane asylum first.
I highly recommend this historical book. Jen Turano once again delivers on her characters and their mishaps. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #ToDisguisetheTruth #BleeckerStreetInquiryAgency #NetGalley #JenTurano

It must be somewhat disconcerting – and more than a bit comical – to be hired to find yourself… but readers have grown to expect nothing less from a Jen Turano read! The author is skilled at putting her characters into awkwardly delightful & hilarious predicaments, and the one in which our dear Eunice finds herself at the start of To Disguise the Truth may be the most intriguing yet!

Fans of The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency series have been fascinated from book one by Eunice’s general mysteriousness. We weren’t quite sure whether her ever present widow’s weeds and heavy veils were a classic Turano quirk for a future heroine or if they indeed served a disguising purpose. As you might guess by the title of this third book, we get the answers we’ve been waiting for – and what a delicious dish of intrigue, mystery, and family drama it turns out to be! I thoroughly enjoyed watching her story unfold and getting to really know her character a lot better. While I’ve always been interested in Eunice for reasons I’ve already explained, I truly came to love her in To Disguise the Truth.

And Arthur. Ah, Arthur. I wasn’t quite sure that any man could replace Norman Nesbit as my favorite Turano hero, but Arthur definitely gives him a run for his money. Equal parts awkward and endearing, he and Eunice have an interesting history, and their present seems to be off to a similar start.

“Considering she’d once shot the man sitting across from her, Eunice Holbrooke was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion her past had finally caught up to her.”

Right from the first line of this hilarious story, I was chuckling at what I knew would be a certainly fun path to happily-ever-after for these two characters. Needless to say, I was right and the bumps along the way (in quintessential Turano fashion) made it all the more so.

But there’s also a couple of more serious points that, while not overshadowing the romcom nature of the story in any way, bear mentioning. First is a brief look at the horrible conditions that women found themselves after being (often forcibly and deviously) committed to the insane asylums of Gilded Age New York. (Side note: Is it too much to hope that we might see a future spin-off series from this author related to some of the characters we met there?) Second, there is a subtle but sweet faith-related thread that is so timely to the world in which we find ourselves. Both of these subplots add further layers to the main characters & remind us that even hilarity can be meaningful when you look closely enough.

Bottom Line: To Disguise the Truth is another wonderful foray by Jen Turano into Gilded Age New York – the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of this storied time in US History. Vividly drawn characters, hilarious hijinks, and lots of heart grace these pages, as well as a swoony romance (with a man who wants it to be known that he knows his way around a kiss!) and answers readers have been waiting for. Eunice and Arthur are delightful in every way, as are all the supporting players we get to visit with along the way. A must-read if you want to be uplifted with the power of laughter & love!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is definitely a book you will find hard to put down before you finish it. This will make you laugh throughout the story. I am so glad that we got to learn all about Eunice. I have loved all the books in the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency. Each of these characters were wonderful and you will want to read all of the books in the series. Each of the women that run this agency have become stronger and help their men to be stronger. This is a fun mystery that will have you chuckling all the way through. I am looking forward to whatever this author comes up with next. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Each book I've read by Jen Turano gets better and better. I love reading her Regency romances because her stories are engaging, fun, and makes me laugh. I've always wondered what Eunice's story was and now I know. She is an interesting and complex person. I liked Eunice and Arthur's interaction. It's fun to watch them along with the other characters in this story. I like how the different Inquiry agents are mentioned in the sorry and throughout the series.
I don't have a favorite character because they were all great in their own way. The mystery of who killed her Grandfather kept me reading until the end. I am looking forward to her next story!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Of course this book is excellently written and has the expected cast of quirky characters. Jan Turano does a remarkable job of developing them for each book. There is a certain amount of humor in each book as is Turano style. This one revolves around a search for a missing woman who does not want to be found. But she must be found before her birthday as she is to inherit her grandfather’s mines. Not only that but she must return to Montana in order to prove to her greedy relatives that she is alive and well and to receive her inheritance, as they are hoping to prove her dead and claim the inheritance. She understandably balks. Someone murdered her grandfather seven years prior and she fears that person will also kill her. There are so many twists and turns in this book that you will certainly be well entertained. Also it ends quite differently from what one expects….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