Book Review: “A Spy in the House” (The Agency #1) by Y.S. Lee

“A Spy in the House” (The Agency #1) by Y.S. Lee (2010)

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, YA

Page Length: 335 pages (paperback edition)

Synopsis:

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

A few years ago A Spy in the House was recommended to me by a fellow book blogger and it’s been sitting on my shelf for quite a while. In the mood for a historical fiction novel, I dove into this book not knowing what to suspect but was pleasantly surprised by the adventure that awaited me in this first installment of The Agency series.

The story’s main protagonist is Mary Quinn, who is taken into Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls and works as a teacher. Longing for a change in her life, she inquires about a new role at the academy and learns that the school is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency. Soon she sets off on a mission to go undercover as a maid and tries to figure out the dirty laundry of a merchant’s family who seems to be covering up underground activities.

This novel was so easy to delve into and I found myself turning the pages eagerly. The mystery aspects are thrilling and the story is gritty and equally lighthearted due to some of the witty banter that occurs. (It’s not gory or too graphic, but there is some death that occurs in the story). Mary is a fun protagonist that is clever, caring and has a lot of spunk. She has a lot of attributes that make her a good undercover agent and she quickly learns to be resourceful when caught in a sticky situation. My only complaint is that the novel doesn’t show any training that leads Mary to be sent out on her first mission.

I loved the novel’s sense of adventure and how it takes readers through the streets of historical London (with many nods to notable locations). There’s a heightened sense of urgency to solve the case as it gets to the latter half of the story and the twists keep you on your toes. There’s even a hint of romance thrown in too, but not too much to detract from the overall theme. I liked Mary’s character development of self-discovery and how she deals with being reconnected to her heritage. I do want to keep reading this series and can’t wait to see what case that Mary will solve next.

Recommended read for fans of the historical mystery genre!

TW: Racism, Death, Some Violence

Final Verdict: