Bro Code

Looking back at the first mystery in this series, The Baker Street Letters, its hard to believe that I read it in 2009. THat being said, at the time I found it a disappointment. again I went in assuming things, my Achilles heel if I ever had one. The premise was that Reggie and Nigel Heath share law offices at 221B Baker Street, the former address of the world's most famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Reggie is the dependable hardworking lawyer (barrister in Brit talk) while Nigel is the...how to put it delicately? Better not even try, lets stick with less than reliable barrister. His job consists of answering the letters that still arrive for Sherlock Holmes, a requirement in their lease of the building. I was expecting a good old fashioned British cozy, and what I got was more of a shoot 'em up thriller/Western mostly set in L.A. and rather depressing at points. I was reluctant to dip my toe in again, however I'm glad I did because I finally got what I was looking for the first time around.

This story had all the hallmarks of a good mystery, false identities, red herrings, car chases, gun fights, crazy people, and of course Sherlock Holmes. The descendants of Professor Moriarty show up (who knew the crazy old guy procreated)? It was fast paced, funny and there was even a particularly good scene where our damsel in distress Laura dangles from Tower Bridge, sweet huh? The characters, which were the one saving grace in the first installment come back strong, even though it is painfully obvious this book is written by a man at some points. In Robertson's defense he does try very hard to make his character seem very sensitive, even if it doesn't always work or make sense. This was my gym book for the past two weeks and I have to say it kept me on the elliptical which not many a tale can, bravo Mr. Holmes.

Going Rogue

I come from Rhode Island, somebody had to. Okay I blatantly stole that from Bill Bryson in The Lost Continent, however it is, in a way, true. I have been asked more times than I care to admit if Rhode Island is the long island off New York. Seriously. If you ever needed a scathing indictment of the American education system, there it is. People don't even know that where I come from is a state most of the time, so when I see a book someone has actually written about it I have to read it.

Now I must confess that I have read other books either totally or partially set in Rhode Island that frankly are not written by anyone with a true knowledge of the place. They might have read about it or be cross referencing from other stories, but its clear they don't know the nature of the beast. Bruce DeSilva, a former writer for the Providence Journal (known by locals as the ProJo) is very familiar with the best. 

Rogue Island is a noir with a down on his luck journalist Liam Mulligan, at its center. He knows every street in the city  of Providence, and almost every person on it. He comes from Rhode Island and isn't afraid to let his freak flag fly. Investigating an ugly and dirty series of arsons in his home neighborhood of Mount Hope the story is full of wonderfully gritty realism. The framework of a traditional noir is there, the plot and the dialogue, however its crossed with a more modern streetwise flavor reminiscent of Scorsese or Tarentino. Every review I have read of this book is a hit. Fans of the genre will love it regardless of its setting, and those who live in the setting will love it even more. Its a slightly warped love letter, but then again all the best love stories are.

Only The Shadow Knows

C.S. Harris and I go way back, not literally, because she is fabulous and glamourous and has lived the life I would have were I smarter, wealthier, and better looking...but nonetheless I have been a long time fan as I discussed in my post on The Babylonian Codex her join venture with her husband Steve Harris. For some strange reason however, Where Shadows Dance, the sixth book in her Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series has been nigh on impossible to track down. The publisher, a subdvision of Penguin books is one of the chains that is withholding shipments to Boarders and despite the past popularity of the books, in fall of 2009 when What Remains of Heaven came out there were dozens of pre-release holds on several libraries copies, not a single library pre-ordered the new installment this time. It was weird, I'm not sure what happened. I will say that the release schedule, formerly a consistent fall release was screwed up this time, delayed until spring perhaps because of her C.S. Graham series release which was the end of November. People get used to a certain schedule, and if it changes sometimes they loose interest. That being said, I broke down and ordered the book from Amazon (at $13.17 it was only priced like a dollar fifty higher than the trade paperback of What Remains of Heaven).

I, like many readers, have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the Sebastian-Hero conflict started in Where Serpents Sleep. Sebastian, everyones favorite soldier/viscount/ tough detective and Hero, the confirmed old maid daughter of his enemy Lord Jarvis decided a roll in the hay was a good idea when faced with death back in book four, resulting in the inconvenient pregnancy in book five and now the saga continues. As the series has gone on Sebastian's story has come more to the forefront, both in terms f his love life and his mysterious parentage. It went from perhaps 25% of the plot in What Angels Fear, the first mystery to morel like 75% not six books later. The question of whether or not this hurts the mystery plot is up for debate. Does it make for a better more satisfying story? Without a doubt, but there are some who beleive that a true mystery is just that. Lucky for you and C.S. Harris I'm not one of them. 

In terms of mystery I'm pleased to say that this was much better than What Remains of Heaven, which had all the makings of a good mystery featuring a fresh corpse found side by side in an ancient crypt with a long-ago murder victim... there was espionage, a secret baby, spousal abuse, Benjamin Franklin's son (random I know), but in the end it just fizzled out and died. Where Shadows Dance was a meatier, better plotted mystery, much more reminiscent of the shockingly gory and weird stuff that was thrown at us in the good old Sebastian St. Cyr stories. He faces the challenge of how does one investigate a murder that no ones knows has been committed. His surgeon friend Paul Gibson discovers this when examining the corpse which he has paid to have stolen from a city graveyard.

Now trying to put the murder victim back together again like a gory Humpty Dumpty provides an element of slapstick, I guarantee a mildly disgusted belly laugh at the very least. If anything Hero's presence at Sebastian's side lends itself to telling of the story, mainly because you never know what side she's really on. If this were the 1950's Katherine Hephburn would play her in the film version, a la Adam's Rib. They make a good team and I'm sure St. Cyr junior when it arrives will add a little something as well. 

I will say that the body count does get a little high towards the end, a bit Tarentino and unbelievable. I don't think its necessary to kill off every other suspect just to show your audience who the real killer is... but artist's choice. The mystery is still good, if there are a few unbelievable points or very loose ends Harris' storytelling is so good that you really don't mind. She lets you escape to the Regency period more fully than any other writer or the period I know, and that alone makes her books magical and a real treat.

Disappearing Dimples

Flavia has competition for my favorite historical cozy. A new books shelf cruising find I enjoyed this one far more than I expected at first. It looked cute, but in reality it was well written, an unusual glance at the time period and setting, full of realistic and authentic characters, and a book about teachers that warmed the cockles of my spinster school marm heart. And you thought I never had anything nice to say about anything, didn't you?

Set in rural Georgia on the home front in 1942 it is definitely historical fiction and a mystery, and the mystery, set in war time has an element of the spy story in it. To term it Southern gothic may be a stretch, however there is a Ma and Pa Kettle aspect to the dialect and characters that sets it apart. Charlie, the heroine is a school teacher, and not exactly the detective. Miss Dimple the true spinster school marm and beloved first grade teacher goes missing right before Thanksgiving, so in-between making Pilgrim hats and bidding soldiers farewell the school staff have to figure out where she went. 

THe story is interesting because even though Charlie is the main character it jumps around a lot, changing perspective often. In a way Charlie doesn't solve the mystery, its a group effort. Like everything else the town folk all chip in to help save the day. Its very sweet, almost threatening to get saccharin sweet at times, but if you've ever lived in a small town its very true to life. These people really do exist. Interwoven are lots of details regarding the hardships of life, from rationing to sending off beloved soldiers. Charlie faces a conflict between wanting to stay loyal to her GI beau and falling for her best friend's flame. Te love story stays light and helps to relieve some of the tension. Miss Dimple herself shines as the beacon of reason and practicality, in fact her scenes are some of the funniest. I was surprised to see that many reviewers sort of slammed this one (then again they like a lot of books I loathe) most seemed to think that the author pigeon-holed herself, writing a book that appealed to only a very specific audience. I can't really say, I've never read a mystery set in that time and place before. I though it was fresh and very cute. It made me show my dimples.

No Symbol, Just Lost

I have always had very mixed feelings about Dan Brown's books. I was a sophomore in high school when The Da Vinci Code became a sensation, however I resited reading it for a long time. I'm not always the first to jump on the bandwagon with popular books, and usually come in after the fact. When I read The Da Vinci Code I honestly didn't see what the big deal was. I was a Catholic school girl, and I had heard a lot of the conspiracy theory before. It was a thriller, pure and simple, okay but nothing special. Eventually I got around to reading Angels and Demons, out of order I know. In this case I hated it, I thought it was so extreme and farfetched that I barely got through it. People have told me that I would have liked it better if I read it before The DaVinci Code, not so sure about that.

When the long awaited (six years long awaited) third Robert Langdon novel came out in Spetember of 2009 I intented to get around to reading it once the rush died down, that way I would have no problem getting my hands on a copy (my library alone has six copies sitting on the shelf now). I honestly forgot all about reading it, to be honest it wasn't high on my list, until Kerrie the Reading teacher at work asked me if I had read it. After the conversation settled to the back of my mind I happened to be looking for something else at the library and there it was on the shelf, right at eye level. I think someone was trying to tell me something. Not God, though. I'm pretty sure God has forsaken all Dan Brown books (what you don't believe me? Just ask the religious right).

As always there was a good concept, lots of red herrings, and some real whack job characters. Having no expectations really helped a lot, I went in for a mindless read with some roller coaster turns, lots of random yet interesting facts about arcane secret societies and history in general and came out not too disappointed. I actually didn't see the big twist coming at the end, its nice when an author can surprise me. 

The writing, as always with Dan Brown was pretty bad, and if there is an author with more awkward sentence structure out there, I have yet to read them. I feel like about 1/4 of the scenes were recycled from earlier books with a new location and new girl, but other wise were just about word for word. There was something I had read, that Dan Brown has ideas for at least ten more Robert Langdon books he wants to write, this kept circling around and around as I read. Not that I have anything against Robert Langdon, he is a mildly interesting, highly unlikely hero (despite all of the heartthrob scenes that Brown tries to write with Langdon in swim trunks at the Harvard pool). I love a guy in a tweed blazer with elbow patches more than the average girl, its just I don't try to elevate a guy in a tweed blazer with elbow patches to be anything more than what he is. James Bond I can believe as a ladies man who goes through gorgeous women like Kleenex, but Robert Langdon.... that and Brown writes each girl as so emotionally and perfectly matched to Langdon, then she disappears like his grammatical ability at the end of each book. Could there really be ten more women out there like that? Doubtful, and if there are I'm not sure how much I really want to read about them.

That criticism aside, the romance in The Lost Symbol was the most believable so far, age appropriate and well matched in terms of who they are and what they do. Not that it matters, Dr. Solomon will be gone with the wind like all the others !?! (a very Dan Brown-sqe punctuation) One of the reviewers from the ALA (American Library Association) pointed out that Brown did himself a disservice setting the book in Washington, because of the natural comparison to the National Treasure movies. I can see his point, however The Lost Symbol is clearly much darker, and (I can't believe I'm about to say this) more believable. I wish it had been summer, or I had a long plane ride, because this is precisely the kind of book you like to take along. Manageable chapters, a fast pace, and lots of fun. Had you noticed that Dan Brown (and we can presume Robert Langdon, sex god and Harvard symboligist) like italics? How could you not?

The Flavia of Life

One of the great secrets of writing books is to tap into a niche previously unexplored and make it your own. I can think of no other author who has done this so completely as Alan Bradley. True we often think of sleuths as hardboiled detectives, Sam Spade or Perry Mason. Even in the cozy area of mystery the detectives have an almost preternatural talent, special abilities and powers of observation beyond that of us normal humans. You would certainly never expect an eleven year-old with a passion for chemistry, living in a floundering, once grand estate in post-war England. Not in a million years.

Yet Flavia de Luce has become the most original detective in mystery, the debut novel featuring her, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie won every major mystery and new book award out there and the two books that followed have both been international bestsellers. Not only is Flavia not what you expect, she is beyond your wildest expectations. 

There is a woman I work with that I cross paths with occasionally, we never really talked all that much, just knew each other to say hello. One night I went to see Chris Bojhalian give a talk on The Double Bind in celebration of The Great Gatsby being chosen for the Big Read. To my surprise sitting there in the auditorium of a high school a few towns away was Jackie my work acquaintance. She invited me to sit with her and we've shared a love of books and the discussion of them ever since. Needless to say, in 2009 we saw each other after the summer vacation and both she and I  couldn't wait to share the great book we had read with each other, the book about Flavia. Enough personal history, its turing into a red herring all its own.

I think that Bradley's water gets stronger and stronger with each tale. His writing funnier and more moving and his mysteries more complex. I read one review that claimed Flavia belongs in YA literature, however I think that the plot is a bit too complex and the language too elevated. While the antics of Flavia and her two older sisters might amuse, I'm not convinced that younger readers would be able to slog through. I think the British village cozy also appeals to an older generation, reminiscent of Miss Marple,  Masterpiece Theater come to life. I have seen a few comparisons to Nancy Drew, but Flavia frankly leaves Nancy in the dust, she's much quicker and far less silly. That and the caliber of mystery doesn't even bear comparison, I think people merely draw parallels between the time period. Then again you could do this with any number of mystery series.

Flavia as a character, and her supporting cast of characters are worth the trip to Buckshaw even without the mystery. bradley brings them into much sharper focus in this volume of Flavia's adventures, with the dual problems of the family's bankruptcy and Flavia's longing for her long dead mother. I can't help but wonder what other goodies in terms of plot and character Flavia's life will bring, and of course what wonderful mysteries are yet to come. 

Inter... Pursued By A Bear

Okay, bad Shakespeare joke I know. Then again most of my post titles are bad jokes, its one of my fatal flaws. After my gaffe with the reverse selection of Haunt Me Still I had resolved to go back to the beginning and boy am I glad I did. Interred With Their Bones was so different than its follow up that I almost didn't believe they were from the same series. This novel had a lot more action, a better more realistic and believable mystery, and ditched the frankly stupid supernatural element. Kate and Ben were also much more interesting than their watered down versions in Haunt Me Still. There were some moments where the tension literally made you skin crawl in this book, while in the other it was more like people would randomly pop up with knives like in a haunted house around Halloween.

The parallel mysteries, first a search for a missing play by Shakespeare based on a subplot from Don Quixote, and a series of murders of noted Shakespearian authorities staged to look like deaths from Shakespeare takes a while to resolve itself, but won't disappoint along the way. Even I who have read the next book and knows what happens at time was on the edge of my seat, a rare quality in a book. Pair it with a decent mystery and you've got a real winner. 

Again, as with Haunt Me Still, a more than passing knowledge of SHakespeare is a major plus. Without it you will miss a lot of clues, Carrell does her best to explain every reference but she still assumes that readers will be able to grasp the implications. If you didn't get the joke in the title, you probably won't enjoy this one all too much. Her descriptions of the locals are excellent, as someone who has been to Stratford-Upon-Avon the world she creates is extremely true to life. Again the historical flashbacks are extraneous (or at least I think so, I didn't read any of them this time, and I was never confused for a second) feel free to skim or skip. Don't hold your breath too hard for romance, because despite all evidence to the contrary you will be disappointed, however the Stanley-Pearl partnership is satisfying even without it. I'm still not sold that the Washington Post was correct when they said in their review that this was a perfect beach read, but until spring comes it will keep you busy.

The Scottish Play

I've done it again, read the second book in a series before the first. I did it with Christi Phillips mysteries, and in the case of the Sarah Woolson novels I started with the third book in the series. I blame the publishes partly because numbers or an itemized list of titles would be helpful. The library does it on their database, providing a complete list of books in a series, why not publishing companies? This is especially true in series with similar names, the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries which all have 'dead' in the title immediately come to mind. Deanna Raybourn wrote on her blog that after the first three books in her Lady Julia Grey mysteries (Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Snactuary, and Silent on the Moor) her publishers were afraid of just that and switched from the word 'silent' to a new run of three books featuring the word 'dark' (The Dark Road to Darjeeling was released in October and the fifth book The Dark Inquiry will be released in July). Okay tirade over, I've made my point, on to the actual book.

I came for the Macbeth (in case you didn't know its supposed bad luck to say the name in a theater, so its referred to as "the Scottish play"). Its always been a favorite of mine, since I first read it in a Shakespeare for kids picture book, I remember the site of Macbeth's head on a pole at the end made quite an impression on me. I've seen the play performed, on numerous films (including the disturbing Japanese Throne of Blood when I was in high school), and have read some retellings, including Rebecca Reisert's The Third Witch which was one of our summer reading assignments in high school to prepare us for reading the play later that year. There is something primal and satisfying about it as a story, its shocking and bloody, magical and a little disturbing. Carrell's book includes all of these attributes putting her main character right in the thick of things in Scotland, where the events are said to have really happened before the Norman conquest in 1066. The element of magic is there with modern day Druids and magical items. THe blood is there with staged human sacrifices and murders staged to look like tarot cards. 

Not having read the first Kate Stanley mystery, Interred With Their Bones did not leave me confused in the least, the only part I was a little lost on was her now failed relationship with Ben Pearl, which was danced around but not really well explained, it plays a relatively minor part in the story as a whole so don't fret about it. The body count was staggering with something like ten bodies piling up by the end, which puts it a little on the extreme side. Carrell is a Shakespearian scholar and writes like one, if you're not willing to learn the history behind the story don't bother, I slogged through most but confess I eventually stopped reading the historical flashbacks because they only confused me. THey do nothing to further the plot, and believe me you'll understand the story just fine if you don't read them. I think its just Carrell indulging herself in a period piece.

I like it enough to go back and read the first novel, which I'll probably do in the near future. It will be curious to see where the series goes, I mean how far can you take mysteries about Shakespeare in the modern world. THese are not the lightest of reads, aside from just the history you need to have more than a passing knowledge of Shakespeare or you'll be lost, Carrell assumes her readers know their Bard. Two thirds of the jokes and illusions will go over your head unless you dust off that unabridged Shakespeare, or at least re-watch a little Kenneth Branaugh. Yum.

Do Not Disturb

As far as rooms go, this one should have a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. If you take a gander at the cover it promises that "the heirs of Sherlock Holmes solve the world's most perplexing cold cases". False advertising. Now I love Sherlock Holmes, I've read through the cannon multiple times, I see every television version out there, I even started dating a guy who shared a mutual love of the consulting detective at 221 B Baker STreet. I will admit that I am often disappointed at the fanfiction recreations of Holmes or his methods. I thought The Shadow of Reichenbach Falls was cracked out, please the evil spirit of Moriarty jumping from body to body? Then again I have always given the Mary Russell novels, which I was very dubious about a fair chance (for what its worth I think they're very well written and have kept my interest through something like nine or ten novels now). Some more modern versions, notably The Baker Street Letters I'm more mixed about ( though I do have the second book in the series The Brothers of Baker Street, coming out on March 1, reserved at the library). However The Murder Room just had way too much going on.

In the first forty pages the perspective jumped about six times, the anecdotes which were supposed to set the scene just confused me, and worst of all I was bored out of my mind. The antics of the so-called Vidocq society (after the first professional detective) were just plain dull. The 100% cerebral reasoning of cases was flat and the childish bickering between the three keynote members was just plain stupid. I'm all for witty banter, if its actually witty. Once the concept  was established I confess I zipped in and out, picking and choosing the chapters I thought would be interesting. It may be cheating to say that I never read the whole book cover to cover, but their you have it . Mea culpa, I assure you my life in no way feels bereft.

Part of me selfishly wonders if the writing is too highbrow for me, perhaps I'm more comfortable with a lower element in writing. After all the young adult fiction may be stunting my reading abilities. In my defense however when I read, no matter what I read, its the good story, the satisfying story that I'm looking for in the end. The Murder Room wasn't going to meet that bottom line from the first five pages, I stuck with it hoping that the human element would kick in, but it never did. What makes Sherlock Holes endearing, even fascinating is his Boswell, without his human half displayed as Watson (or in Laurie R. King's books as his wife Mary) your left reading a police file folder about a crime, or a tedious explanation of how to put together the solution to a murder the same way you would explain how to put together a bookshelf from Ikea. I've never read true crime, and this book is a little to true crime to be my kind of novel.

A Ring-A Ding-Ding, London Calling

I read Tangerine, Edward Bloor's breakout, award-winning novel when I was in middle school, right after it came out in 1999. It was the librarian's selection for our middle school book club ( we had also read the young Harry Potter in book club, just before it became huge). It wasn't a book I would have picked up on my own and after twelve years I still remember it as being surreal, like a story set in a Salvador Dali painting. It was a good book but in my memory I can't keep the weirdness straight.

I haven't checked in with Bloor since, though a quick database search  on my local library website shows he has published four or five books since Tangerine. I was browsing the YA section of the Pawtucket library, and grabbed this book both based on the clever cover and the author's name before being pulled into an excruciating conversation about graphic novels with the YA librarian. I'm sorry, I appreciate the effort and time people put into them, but as far as I'm concerned, they're still comic books, which I have zero interest in reading.

That being said it was a phenomenal choice, by far the best book I've read this year. Unfortunately I somehow forgot to post on it when I read it, so it's posted slightly out of reading order if you look at the list. Its a time travel story, however time travel is rare in the narrative. The focus is on  the journey that the main character Martin takes. His discovery of what really matters to him in life, his journey towards fulfilling his own spirituality, and his acceptance of the order of things, including the reality of his own family. His story is one of the most real views of family I've ever seen, in YA or adult fiction. Some might argue that it is too adult a portrayal for a YA novel, and the whole story is very adult in both its plot an themes.

Death is a prominent feature, some of it very violent. The repercussions of this, both in this world and the next are also called into question. I like the message of the story, that there is moral gray areas in life, however at the end all humans have to answer one question, what did you do to help? In its ideology it reminded me a lot of Agnes of God, where a lot of questions are asked, but many left unanswered. This is a criticism of a lot of reviewers, but unfortunately I can't count that among the faults. Spirituality is a messy business, which Martin admits, however he like all of us does his best. Its basic Catholicness appeals to me, the idea of doing your first nine Fridays, not because you necessarily believe it will help, but because it comforts you. Saying a prayer for someone's immortal soul, because after death its the only way to continue to show your love. London Calling isn't a happy story, then again any story can be happy. Its a real story about ordinary people living their lives, whether now or in the past. The time travel is just a vehicle to show us that. 

How Many Miles To Babylon?

The writing team of Candice Proctor and her husband Steve Harris makes me more than slightly nervous when I read them. The Babylonian Codex is the third book in their co-written series of thrillers about rogue CIA agent Jax Alexander and seriously unlucky and PTSD suffering remote viewer Tobie Guinness. I picked up the first on a whim in one of my Friends of the Library bookstore deals, for a thrifty quarter. The second I bought for a bus book, when I, in a moment of weakness agreed to chaperone my sixteen year-old cousin Madeline's sophomore field trip to New York City. Between the bus being late (by many hours) and traffic I finished it in a day. I scared the ever-loving shit out of me, I kept expecting the bus to be shot up or bombed.

As a former Army and Federal Government intelligence man, I have no doubt that Steve Harris knows where more than a few bodies are buried. I what he shares of the government's bad behavior is just the declassified stuff, can you even imagine what we don't know. Trust me you'll be paranoid too. I, despite my trepidation, bit and bought the third book and have to admit that it, in my humble opinion, is the best yet. The first book had a good concept but was a bit random. The second I found a lot slower. They're all good stories, with lots of shoot-em-up, James Bond-esque tricks, car chases, and scenarios. The cast of characters is also always large, which can make it a challenge to keep up at times, the second book set in Russia was particularly troubled in some respects. A certain amount of background in the government and military hierarchy is also necessary, otherwise you'll quickly get lost.

Like most of Candice Proctor's other stuff, romance and mystery alike, the characters are all well developed, and have a complete and fascinating backstory. The idea of remote viewing is a fascinating one, and in their author notes copious references are given (all very welcome and informative) including the push to read The Men Who Stare At Goats (they also insist, book not movie, which I greatly admire). It's the idea of remote viewing, the ability for a person, through meditation and focus to see the location of a target in a sealed opaque envelope, that lead me to classify this as Fantasy. Tobie is a crack remote viewer, reliable almost all the time, a rarity in itself. Even the book admits that reliable remote viewers typically are about are common as lightening striking twice, but the act that she also has some kind of weird force field which disrupts electrical gadgets in close range of her crosses from the unusual to improbable. 

The book leaves on a good note, of course all entries in a series do. I'll keep an open mind however because I think that the relationship between Tobie and Jax, while completely platonic, has reached an interesting juncture. Their associating is cementing, so the books no longer seem like random meetings or forced acquaintance, and Jax has also started to overcome his prejudice towards remote viewing, which seems promising. He also wrecks cars like most people use Kleenex, which I confess i really enjoy. 

A Visit To The Agency

The Agency: A Spy In The House is an interesting book for a couple of reasons. First I think it explores a cultural niche not often referenced in Victorian, or most literature, the Asian subculture. Mary Lang Quinn, the heroine of the novel is the daughter of an Irish woman and a Cantonese sailor. Her appearance and the roots of the culture are often the topic of speculation, however Quinn is interesting because she assimilates so well into the Caucasian culture around her. The Sarah Woolson mysteries by Shirley Tallman go deep into Chinatown in 1880s San Francisco, however it is mainly used to hi-light the dichotomy between the haves and the have nots. The sub-story in The Agency goes beyond that to weave together the plot-lines.

The second intriguing thing about the story is that the author is open about the fact that this all female spy agency, which takes in the untouchables of the London streets, free of charge, educates them, and sends them out to investigate the rich and powerful, is completely fanciful. Too often, period pieces write revisionist history, where everything is picturesque and the plot lines totally out of joint with the happenings and mores of the time. Lee takes as much of actual history as possible, and when she integrates the more fanciful and incongruous elements, makes it plausible.

Overall it was a fast-paced, well-developed, mystery that kept me guessing. The romantic entanglements didn't interfere too badly with the central plot, and the segue into the next two books of the trilogy was smoothly done. No complaints from me.