Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles #1) by Regina Jennings

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles #1) by Regina Jennings. 

About the Book

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she's assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she's sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children's home. He'll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm's way.

Calista doesn't need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can't let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

1898

Chicago

"You want me to work for Jinxy Seaton?" Calista York dropped her handbag onto her desk and reached up to remove her hatpin from her heavy swirl of brown curls. "The last I heard, we had scruples against helping criminal gangsters who corrupt Chicago with their nefarious - "

Friday 56

"It's hard for me to say this, and it's going to be even harder for you to hear, Matthew, but I can't tell you what I'm doing. You have to trust me."

What have you been reading lately?