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Love in Disguise is like receiving a box of chocolates and loving every different kind in the box. For two years, I have been trying to read the books in my "To Be Read Bookshelf". I opened the cover and so an inscription from the author. I do not know when I won it or from what website and this is the first book that I have ever read by this author. Well, I loved the book!

Ellie Moore loses her job as a theatrical assistant the star she was working goes off with her new husband to explore her career in Europe. Ellie is left a trunk of costumes that the star decided were not needed anymore. Very hungry in Chicago with a meager sum to her name, she tries to find a job that she can succeed in staying employed and she gets desparate. Om a walk for jobs she sees saloon girls and is more determined than ever to get a respectable jpb. Overhearing a conversation on the street leads her to apply at the Pinkerton Age ncy. Ellie is compelled use her wits and determination and she lands the assignment in Arizona.

This is a start of a very humorous mystery tale where the heorine has to summon all of her wits, acting talents, powers of observation to convomce the town people of the geununess of the characters she was playing while trying to stick to her principles as possible. I really enjoyed this story and now want to look for more books by her. ( )

When Ellie's air castle shatters, she trades it for a small, two bedroom house in Arizona. And a job she has next to no qualifications for. In her role as Lavina, an elderly widow, it's easy to poke her nose where it might not usually belong. As Jessie, she pretty much just smiles and men fall over themselves to babble information they wouldn't normally divulge. And when one of her potential suspects smiles, she melts, no matter which wig she's wearing.
With a lot of luck, enough courage for three women, and answers to some heartfelt prayers, Ellie manages to solve the case AND get her man. ;-) ( )

Ellie Moore is desperate after the loss of her job at the theater company. With no family to turn to, she aggressively pursues a position with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, thinking it will be an opportunity to use her acting skills and to have a grand adventure in the Wild West of Arizona. Her plans quickly go awry when her partner, a seasoned detective, bails out and Ellie is forced to play two roles: Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, and Jessie Monroe, a young and adventuresome flirt. Keeping up such an act is difficult enough, but then Steven Pierce, one of the mine owners that hired the Pinkertons to solve a mysterious string of silver robberies, is terribly attractive and he seems to feel the same way about Jessie! As Ellie edges closer to finding the thieves, both Lavinia and Jessie become targets. Can Ellie thwart the thieves before they strike again? If her identity is revealed, will she lose the love of a lifetime? Read more in Love in Disguise by Carol Cox.

I love it when a book is better than I expect. Love in Disguise by Carol Cox was such a book. The mystery kept me hooked throughout the story. The clues were there, but I didn't know who was behind the silver thefts until the climax. Truly, the mystery was the heart of this book. There was adequate romance between Steven and Jessie/Ellie, but it wasn't emphasized like the mystery was, nor did there seem to be any romantic tension until the very end. I liked Ellie's development throughout the story. Her surrender of herself – just as she was – to God was a hidden gem of a theme that played out in other areas of the story. I recommend Love in Disguise to fans of Christian fiction who love mystery. I'm sure I'll read it again, but for the moment, I'm passing it along to my mother-in-law to enjoy.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive 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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." ( )

Love in Disguise is about a young women named Ellie Moore. She had worked for a theater company in Chicago as a personal wardrobe mistress to a renowned actress. When the actress ends her career in America and sails for London, Ellie is unexpectedly out of a job. Her career takes a turn when she over hears two men talking about a need for a private investigator. Soon she is headed out west to see what she can find out about a situation she is supposed to investigate incognito.

I loved this book! It was such a fun read. Carol Cox did an amazing job on this book! It was fun to read about how Ellie got herself out of her horrible situation of being alone with no job and into a very sticky situation of being a P.I. Her theater experience certainly comes in handy for her new job. At first you wonder if she'll be able to pull it off, but then you see that she really is quite a clever girl. Make sure to pick up this delightful read. You won't be disappointed!

**I received this book free from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ( )