I finally got the chance to read The Agency series by Y.S. Lee for a Victorian mystery reading challenge a couple of years ago. This series has a wonderful combination of intrigue, romance, mystery, and the rich details of Victorian England. Rivals in the City is the last book of this series. Many thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for an advanced reader's copy of the book.


Description: Mary Quinn has a lot on her mind. James Easton, her longtime love interest, wants to marry her; but despite her feelings, independent-minded Mary hesitates. Meanwhile, the Agency has asked Mary to take on a dangerous case: convicted fraudster Henry Thorold is dying in prison, and Mary must watch for the return of his estranged wife, an accomplished criminal herself who has a potentially deadly grudge against James. Finally, a Chinese prizefighter has arrived in town, and Mary can't shake a feeling that he is somehow familiar. With the stakes higher than ever, can Mary balance family secrets, conflicting loyalties, and professional expertise to bring a criminal to justice and find her own happiness?

Review: Rivals in the City is a solid ending to a fabulous historical mystery series. Mary Quinn has come a long way since sitting on death row after she is caught by the police. Now she is fully established, independent, and beginning a detective agency. She is also engaged to a remarkable man who sees her as his equal regardless of what their society dictates. Now her happiness is threatened when a ruthless criminal who has a grudge against James is back.  
  The mystery in Rivals of the City is fast paced and engaging. The criminal is smart and calculating, keeping Mary and the Agency on their toes. The clues are timed and spaced evenly, which is a relief because I hate mysteries where I solve the crime before the main character does. My minor complaint about the mystery is that it overshadows the romance between James and Mary. 
  I wanted to see both of these characters interacting as I love their chemistry and banter, but I do understand why they had to be separated. Unlike the other books in the series, Rivals in the City is romance light. Mary must make a very important decision in her relationship and I was pleased that the author did take into consideration of women's roles in Victorian England, particularly that of transferring her own property and essentially her own identity to her husband. I would have loved an epilogue regarding what happens next for our couple.  
  In addition to the mystery, there is a surprise appearance by a family member from China who provides some answers to Mary's questions about her father's past. I was hoping that the appearance of Mary's relative would play a major role in this book and interact with her a bit more, but a lot of the questions that I had surrounding Mary's father were answered. Overall Lee works well with various plot threads and combines them with details of her Victorian England setting. I would definitely recommend this series to readers who enjoy historical romances or historical mysteries. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor violence and language. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Secret Letters by Leah Scheier, Young Sherlock Holmes series  by Andrew Lane, 

 Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine! This week I'm eagerly awaiting the release of two books: Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally and Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee.


Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally
Publish date: July 1st, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks



 I have thoroughly enjoyed every book that Miranda Kenneally has released and I always look forward to reading more from her Hundred Oaks series. Here's hoping we see some cameos of characters from the previous books!

Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?
 



Last year I participated in the Victorian mystery challenge which was a lot of fun and I discovered the Agency series. I devoured each book and was hoping a final book in this series would come out. If you are looking for a fun, historical mystery with fantastic characters do give the Agency a try. 

Mary Quinn has a lot on her mind. James Easton, her longtime love interest, wants to marry her; but despite her feelings, independent-minded Mary hesitates. Meanwhile, the Agency has asked Mary to take on a dangerous case: convicted fraudster Henry Thorold is dying in prison, and Mary must watch for the return of his estranged wife, an accomplished criminal herself who has a potentially deadly grudge against James. Finally, a Chinese prizefighter has arrived in town, and Mary can’t shake a feeling that he is somehow familiar. With the stakes higher than ever, can Mary balance family secrets, conflicting loyalties, and professional expertise to bring a criminal to justice and find her own happiness?

  If you like historical mysteries be sure to check out Y.S. Lee's Agency series. It's got a strong female lead along with interesting historical details of the Victorian period, mystery, and of course a little dash of romance. There are currently three books in the series with more on the way. I've enjoyed all of them. Today I'll be reviewing book two, The Body at the Tower, and book three, Traitor in the Tunnel, respectively.

Description (from the publisher): Mary's second adventure as an undercover agent forces her to relive some harrowing childhood experiences as she seeks the identity of a murderer. Mary Quinn is back, now a trusted member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. Her new assignment sends her into the grimy underbelly of Victorian London dressed as a poor boy, evoking her own childhood memories of fear, hunger, and constant want. As she insinuates herself into the confidence of several persons of interest, she encounters others in desperate situations and struggles to make a difference without exposing -or losing -her identity. Mary's adventure, which takes place on the building site of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, offers a fictional window into a fascinating historical time and place.

Review: After passing her first trial case, Mary Quinn begins her real assignment with The Agency, a secret all-female detective agency in Victorian London. Her latest case requires her of disguising as a male while quietly gathering information about issues impeding the progress on building the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The mysterious death of a workman seems to be the impetus of the delay; however, there have been rumors of widespread corruption. Once again Mary is forced to confront her less than stellar past as her disguise brings memories of her difficult childhood to the forefront. While tries to battle her own personal demons she is also trying to sort out an intricate web of theft that may have led to murder. Adding an additional layer of complication is the delectable James Easton, who caught Mary's eye during her first case. Mary and Jame's roads cross as James turns out to be the safety inspector for the building site. James has returned from India, weakened by a bout with malaria but still attracted to Mary. Like the first book in the series, Lee's attention to the lifestyle of Victorian England is impeccable. We are put in the shoes of poor workers who barely are making ends meet. Mary is a reflective and admirable character, who grapples many issues yet seems to keep her head straight. Though she routinely finds herself in hard places and doesn't make the right choices, you can't help but root for her.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and crude humor. There are scenes of beatings and punishments. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer, Secret Letters by Leah Scheier


Description (from the publisher): Mary Quinn is assigned to the Queen's case and sets out to identify a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace and finds herself fending off the advances of a feckless prince, but a larger scandal looms when the prince witnesses the murder of a friend in an opium den.

Review: In the first two books of the Agency series, we've seen Mary take part of the upper middle class and the low, poor, working class. This time Mary finds herself at the upper crust, solving a mystery at the Buckingham Palace. Unlike the first two books, there is more of an emphasis on Mary's personal storyline. We get more details about her past including her mixed ethnicity. The mystery, which evolves from a simple case of thievery turns to a much more personable one as the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, witnesses a murder at an opium den. The switch of the case was a bit abrupt. Lee flirts with the idea of racial tensions in this book, but I wished it was explored a bit more. It comes off kind of haphazardly. In this book Mary is forced to make some serious, life changing decisions which will put her comfort, trust, and heart at risk.
 I love the chemistry between Mary and James, which I think gets stronger with each book. Both characters complement each other really well and they both mutually admire, respect, and love one another. Though there is no cliffhanger per se in this book, there are many questions left wide open as to where Mary will head to next. Despite the minor flaws and the uneven pacing, I had a big smile on my face when I finished it and enjoyed it enough to recommend it to others.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Opium and alcohol use is mentioned. There is some language and a few, brief sexual suggestions mentioned. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer, Secret Letters by Leah Scheier, And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander, Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn.

I've heard about Y.S. Lee's Agency series for quite some time. I've been meaning to pick it up since it is about a Victorian mystery series but never got around to it. After reading several glowing reviews from bloggers, I thought to give the series a chance and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed every minute of it! There are currently three books (the third book released today!) in the series and I really hope Ms. Lee doesn't stop there.

Description: Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan and thief Mary Quinn is offered a place at Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls where she is trained to be part of an all-female investigative unit called The Agency. At age 17, she is given her first case as she infiltrates a rich merchant's home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. Being an agent isn't as easy as Mary thought as she meets unsuspecting friends and foes as well as a family secret.

Review: A Spy in the House grabbed my attention right away. As the book opens, Mary, a scrappy 12-year-old orphan and accomplished thief in Victorian London, is saved at her 11th hour from the gallows by a stranger and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, an institution dedicated to turning out strong, independent, educated young women. Due to her rough upbringing she is reluctant at first, but then accepts the challenge and eventually becomes a teacher herself. At 17, she discovers the school is actually a covert group of female spies known as The Agency and is recruited by the mistresses of the school who believes Mary's street smarts make her a great candidate. After her initial shock has worn off, she is given her first assignment which involves posing as a lady's companion to the daughter of a man suspected of fraud and smuggling. She carries out her investigation at night and during stolen moments, but soon finds that she is not the only one on the case.
  While there was no such thing as an Agency in Victorian England, which the author fully admits, I found loved her idea of subverting the passive, submissive, and quiet Victorian woman stereotype. The women virtually go undetected, which makes them blend easily into the background and a great choice for spies. Lee's Victorian England is vibrant and rich in detail from the attention to clothes, dialect and the seedy underbelly of the poor. Historical details are woven seamlessly into the plot, and descriptive writing allows readers to be part of each scene. The book's slow pace, melodrama, and the mystery also reflects on the time period.
  As a heroine, I loved Mary Quinn. Her years as an orphan and pick-pocketer piques our interest in her personal story. Intelligent, feisty, determined, yet somewhat stubborn and impulsive, Mary has several layers to her personality that we can all relate to. Her complexity grows as we learn about her ethnic background, which I hope gets explored more as the series continues. I admire Mary for not wallowing about her dark past and actually use the skills of observation and street smarts while she is on the case. Unlike Nancy Drew, who always seems to make the right choices while sleuthing, Mary is over her head. She continuously makes mistakes but her quick thinking for the most part helps her out except when it comes to James Easton.
  James Easton is the debonair gentleman who is also interested in Mary's case. Unlike Mary, James reasons are more personal and directly related to the mystery as his brother captivated by Mr. Thorold's daughter and hopes to marry her. James is utterly charming, cocky, and continues fails to figure out Mary. Though James and Mary meet coincidentally, there is no doubt that they both strike up curiosity in one another. Watching these two banter and get flustered by one another is the spotlight for the book. There is definite romantic tension which crackles between them and makes us wait in anticipation to see if this 'relationship' progresses.
  Though the mystery is solved by the end of the book, we are still left with many questions that make us want to pick up the second book (which I have and it's even better than this one) right away. Class differences, love gone awry, racial discrimination, London's growing pains in the 1850s, and the status of women in society are all addressed. Lee knows her Victorian London and it shows. I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy historical fiction and cozy mysteries with a strong female heroine that are not too violent and graphic.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: The book is relatively clean, however, there are mentions of opium dens and mentions of the philandering Mr. Thorold. Recommended for strong Grades 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Body at the Tower (Agency #2), Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer