The Agency 1: A Spy in the House [Hardcover]

Mary Lang, the main character in the book, is unquestionably an underdog. She comes from London; her father, a Chinese merchant sailor, had died in a shipwreck. As a result of such a blow her mother, a seamstress, had a miscarriage, fell ill, lost her job, became a prostitute and finally died. Mary had no choice; she joined an army of street urchins, so numerous and notorious at that time, to earn (or rather steal) her living. First, the girl trained as a pickpocket and then she progressed to more lucrative but also more dangerous burglary. Although intelligent and skilled, she finally got caught. As it was only too common in the 19th century, the judge sentenced her to hang by the neck until she was dead. Here the action begins because, contrary to the sentence, Mary is not executed. She is rescued from the gallows by an organization which actively looks for clever girls in dire straits to help them. Do I have to add it is led by women only? Officially they run one of many private London schools - "Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls" but it is hardly a typical Victorian institution. Giving poor, neglected girls a real second chance in the form of a paid job is one of its aims.

I loved the whole idea of a book about the Victorian era in which the characters recognize and try to correct many social flaws of that time. I would say if such an Agency never existed, (and most probably it didn't, but you'll never know, they were definitely more secretive than James Bond) it's lovely somebody invented it. As this somebody happens to have her PHD in Victorian literature and culture, the book is properly researched, every detail rings true and it never fails to entertain you, even with the stinking river Thames in the background. The pace of narration is quick and the plot - well composed, making this book is a real page-turner; once you start it, you can't put it down till the very end. I only hope the second part, to be released soon, will match this one.

As a young person, I read all the historical fiction written for young people I could get my hands on. As slightly more of a grown-up, I've largely shifted my attention to mystery fiction. Y.S. Lee has brought together two of my preferred genres in a sophisticated and compulsively readably fashion. The suspenseful bits of this book are truly suspenseful, and the historical milieu is described in a detailed, but never dry, manner. If you have a young friend/relative who likes to read, give them this book. If you have a young friend/relative who doesn't like to read, give them this book and see if he/she changes his/her mind. And if you're a grown-up who appreciates elegant prose and insights into a different historical period, you should buy it for yourself!

This wasn't a very heavy novel, which was definitely nice, but it did have enough of an intruiging plot to keep things moving well. There were a few little nitpicky negatives regarding this book (a few scenes could have been rearranged to better effect, I think, and I'm disappointed that George Easton seemed like he only existed as a way of introducing James), but overall, it was enjoyable to read.

The author's strength in writing is clear in the characters, and with very few exceptions, the characters are wonderfully real and can be related to in one form or another. She also has strength in period details, something which people unacquainted with Victoriana might not appreciate, but since I'm a fan of the era, I saw the little things that made the story just that much more believable.

More than once I found myself debating whether it would be better for James and Mary to just get a room, or to duke it out in the middle of the street. Possibly both, given their fiery personalities and the nature of their relationship.

In a nutshell, this book was an enjoyable read, not too taxing, fun to curl up with. I recommend it to those who enjoy light mysteries and to those who enjoy a good trip back to Victorian England. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel!