#BookReview Alice and the Assassin by R.J. Koreto

Alice and the Assassin by R.J. Koreto
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

In 1902 New York, Alice Roosevelt, the bright, passionate, and wildly unconventional daughter of newly sworn-in President Theodore Roosevelt, is placed under the supervision of Secret Service Agent Joseph St. Clair, ex-cowboy and veteran of the Rough Riders. St. Clair quickly learns that half his job is helping Alice roll cigarettes and escorting her to bookies, but matters grow even more difficult when Alice takes it upon herself to investigate a recent political killing--the assassination of former president William McKinley.

Concerned for her father's safety, Alice seeks explanations for the many unanswered questions about the avowed anarchist responsible for McKinley's death. In her quest, Alice drags St. Clair from grim Bowery bars to the elegant parlors of New York's ruling class, from the haunts of the Chinese secret societies to the magnificent new University Club, all while embarking on a tentative romance with a family friend, the son of a prominent local household.

And while Alice, forced to challenge those who would stop at nothing in their greed for money and power, considers her uncertain future, St. Clair must come to terms with his own past in Alice and the Assassin, the first in R. J. Koreto's riveting new historical mystery series.

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Alice and the Assassin is the first book in a new series (An Alice Roosevelt Mystery) and it was an absolute delight to read. As a big fan of the Roosevelt family was I intrigued by the idea of a historical mystery series featuring the headstrong and impossible Alice Roosevelt. Alice, together with her bodyguard Joseph St. Clair takes on the assassination of William McKinley in this book. Or rather some questions surrounding the murder. Was the killer really alone?

I found the book quite enchanting to read and Alice Roosevelt is such a wonderful character. I checked up her life on Wikipedia and it feels like this book really captures her and her personality. Despite being only 17 in this book is she a daring and wonderful character, which is why her father has put her in Agent Joseph St. Clair hands since he can't run the country and keep an eye on her at the same time.

I can say the only thing that is a drawback with the book, is that it was quite easy to figure out who was a bad guy and the revelation towards the end of the book was hardly a surprise. However, I did enjoy Alice and Joe's investigations and this is a series that I certainly want to read more titles from.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!