A Spy in the House

Mary Quinn appears to be just another member of the “respectable poor,” but looks can be deceiving.

Mary Quinn was sentenced to the gallows at age 12. An orphan who resorted to life as a thief just to survive, her life of misery ended not by hanging but an unexpected rescue by a woman posing as a prison warden. After five years of kind care and quality education Mary joins the Agency, a collective of female covert investigators. Mary’s first case brings mortal danger, a little romance, and an encounter that forces her to face her hidden past. This is an engaging historical mystery, as well as an exploration of feminism and the role of women in the 19th century. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its setting. The smoldering heat and filth of 1858 London during the “Big Stink” is palpable, to the point you will want to cover your nose while reading it. Similar in theme and setting to The Ruby in the Smoke and sequels by Philip Pullman teen mystery readers will want to give A Spy in the House a try.