Release Date: August 10, 2010Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 352
Review Source: Library
Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
This is another colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel about the exploits of agent Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary Quinn is rescued from the gallows and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school turns out to be a front for a private detective agency. At age 17, Mary takes on her first case (A Spy in the House). In this, the second book of the series, Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St. Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this second book in The Agency series by Y.S. Lee. I’m not the biggest fan of mysteries (though I do enjoy books with mysteries in them, if that makes sense) OR historical fiction, yet I really like this series. I think what draws me into them is the character of Mary. Mary is so stuck because of her gender and her race, yet she finds ways to rise above it. She’s feisty, and even when she’s feeling badly about herself, she somehow goes against the grain and stands up for herself, proving others wrong. I enjoyed the mystery in this book a lot more than the first one, and I thought it had a bit more action to it. Most of all, though, I have to say I enjoy the relationship between Mary and James, and I was thrilled that he was a main part of the book. Without that relationship I don’t think I would like the books as much, because James really brings out Mary’s personality. I would definitely suggest giving these books a shot, and don’t let the length scare you off, because once you get started in them, it’s easy to read the whole book in a couple of days.
Rating:
Find The Agency #2: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee on Goodreads, Book Depository, & Amazon.ca
These books sound really interesting, I'm not a huge reader of historical fiction either, but it seems like Mary is a fantastic character and I always love a good romantic relationship! Nice review, I'll be looking into these 2!
ReplyDeleteYou sound like me! I don't really care for mysteries (I did as a kid, but not something I really seek out now as an adult) and not a big fan of historical, yet I LOVE this series!
ReplyDelete