Review: The Pinks

Title: The Pinks: The First Women Detectives, Operatives, and Spies with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency
Author: Chris Enss
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Rowan & Littlefield
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: July 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The true story of Kate Warne and the other women who served as Pinkertons, fulfilling the adage, “Well-behaved Women Seldom Make History.” Most students of the Old West and American law enforcement history know the story of the notorious and ruthless Pinkerton Detective Agency and the legends behind their role in establishing the Secret Service and tangling with Old West Outlaws. But the true story of Kate Warne, an operative of the Pinkerton Agency and the first woman detective in America–and the stories of the other women who served their country as part of the storied crew of crime fighters–are not well known. For the first time, the stories of these intrepid women are collected here and richly illustrated throughout with numerous historical photographs. From Kate Warne’s probable affair with Allan Pinkerton, and her part in saving the life of Abraham Lincoln in 1861 to the lives and careers of the other women who broke out of the Cult of True Womanhood in pursuit of justice, these true stories add another dimension to our understanding of American history.

Review:

This is a fascinating book!

I had never heard of this agency before, and once I started reading, I wished I had. These are important stories for the feminist movement, because it shows the strength of women since the nineteenth century.

I loved that Pinkerton introduced female detectives specifically because they were underestimated by the rest of the country. This was a smart technique on his part, since he was able to use this prejudice against everyone else, while also working with great detectives.

A lot of these stories sounded like an action movie. One great tale is when Kate Warne pretended Abraham Lincoln was her brother to sneak him onto a train. It’s amazing how that worked. It’s funny because if I saw it in a movie I would have thought it was made up, but these are all true stories.

The Pinkerton Detective Agency did some amazing crime fighting. These stories are so entertaining. I highly recommend this book!