THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK
Fiction Not your typical wealthy young socialite ... THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK An Anna Blanc Mystery By Jennifer Kincheloe 304 pp. Seventh Street Books Reviewed by Eric Petersen Mystery writer Jennifer Kincheloe is back with the second entry in her new series set in an unusual time and place (Los Angeles circa 1908) and featuring the most unlikely and endearing sleuth since Miss Marple. The first entry, The Secret Life of Anna Blanc , is also reviewed on this site. Anna Blanc wasn’t your typical wealthy young socialite. Fiercely independent, tough, intelligent, and determined, her dream was to put her formidable deductive skills to work by becoming a police detective. Unfortunately, at that time, women weren’t allowed to become beat cops, let alone detectives. Taking the only job available to a woman in the Los Angeles Police Department, Anna became a police matron – a job that involves handling women who’ve been arrested, handling juvenile delinquents, and taking away children fr...