Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee

Title: Rivals in the City
Author: Y.S. Lee
Source/Format: Borrowed from the Library; Hardcover
More Details: Young Adult; Historical; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Candlewick Press; March 10, 2015

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

In a tale steeped in action, romance, and the gaslit intrigue of Victorian London, Mary Quinn’s detective skills are pitted against a cunning and desperate opponent...

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?

Rivals in the City is one of those books that I’ve been meaning to read for what seems like forever. I’ve read the rest of the series, and I even had time to reread them last year to kind of refresh my memory about what happened. So, this has been a long time coming. I have finally read Rivals in the City, and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. The same things that made me love the first three books were here too—the agency, Mary, James, and the rest of the cast of characters, just to name a few.

What I liked most about this book is simple: the mystery, how Mary handled her new case, and the developing relationships between the characters. I won’t say too much about the villain of this case, but I felt they were worth mentioning. Their role cast a shadow on the lives of the characters. They were more than just something to talk about. They were ruthless and cunning and had the motivation, plan, and means to make them a convincing—and not to mention dangerous—villain.

This is one of the few historical series that I’ve actually finished reading. I liked how the setting was thoroughly explained, and it never seemed like the characters came from modern times. The way many of the characters behaved fit with what was considered to be the societal norm.

Mary’s come a long way from the orphan at the beginning of the series, she’s learned a lot, and it shows. Mary was, by far, my favorite character. Her life has undergone so many changes, yet she managed to handle it. I also loved her relationship with James. It was a slow-burn kind of romance, and it took three books to get to the point they were at in Rivals in the City.

All in all, Rivals in the City was pretty awesome. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it, and look forward to Y.S. Lee’s next book.

The Friday 56 (91) & Book Beginnings: Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

In a tale steeped in action, romance, and the gaslit intrigue of Victorian London, Mary Quinn’s detective skills are pitted against a cunning and desperate opponent...

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?

Beginning:"It was a miserable day for a walk: sleety, frigid, dark. Nevertheless, Mary Quinn and James Easton, Private Detectives, were out for a ramble about Bloomsbury, bundled against the penetrating drizzle, straining to distinguish people from lampposts in the dense fog that swamped the streets."

56:"James refrained from rolling his eyes, and unfolded the letter. As he read, his eyes widened and he glanced up at his brother's smirking face."

Comments: I have been meaning to read Rivals in the City for a long time. While I'm a little sad that the series is over, this book was fantastic. I like the beginning of Rivals in the City, especially the descriptions about how the weather effected their walk. 

What series have you recently finished reading?

Review: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

Title: The Traitor in the Tunnel
Author: Y.S. Lee
Source/Format: Purchased; Hardcover
More Details: Young Adult; Historical; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Candlewick Press; February 28, 2012

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Queen Victoria has a problem: there's a thief at work in Buckingham Palace. The Agency - the secret all-female detective unit - assigns quick-witted Mary Quinn to the case. Posing as a palace maid and fending off the attentions of the Prince of Wales are challenging enough, but when the prince witnesses a murder, Mary's case becomes anything but petty. Engineer and former flame James Easton has an assignment in the sewers, where someone is making illicit use of the tunnels. Mary will need James's help if she's going catch a thief, solve a murder - and avert disaster...

Whenever I pick up a Mary Quinn mystery I know I’m always in for a fun adventure set against the backdrop of historical London. And The Traitor in the Tunnel was no different. All my favorite characters were back and better than ever, and Mary has once again been dispatched by the Agency. Only, this time her case had landed her in the position of a maid in Buckingham Palace rather than at a dangerous construction site like the one from The Body at the Tower.

Y.S. Lee knows how to write convincing characters and has continued to develop them across the series so far. The Traitor in the Tunnel was as much about the mystery as it was an emotional journey for Mary, and Lee managed to skillfully intertwine these elements into a single story. The Agency remains one of my favorite aspects. I really like how Lee structured the organization as an all-female agency, which used the stereotypes of women during that time period as an advantage for their operatives.

Across three books, I’ve seen Mary go from giving up on life altogether—which was a pretty grim and gloomy beginning—to finding a place and occupation that suited her, and wanting to live life to the fullest. In The Traitor in the Tunnel, she had to face some hard truths and come to understand herself and her emotions. And really, it was kind of awesome. James was also back in the picture, albeit working on projects of his own. But really, they were best together. I really like his interactions with Mary. They make such a great team! They have good chemistry and the best banter.

The plot was also good and featured solid straight-forward storytelling. The mystery was intriguing and started out with a fairly mild beginning but quickly transitioned into one with higher stakes. As such, there were moments of tension and even some action thrown in. The writing was consistently good. Lee’s style is descriptive, yet gets to the point without beating around the bush with unnecessary information.

So, The Traitor in the Tunnel was an engaging and super fun novel to read. It was great to get caught up with the old characters and even those  new to the scene.

The Friday 56 (71) The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Queen Victoria has a problem: there's a thief at work in Buckingham Palace. The Agency - the secret all-female detective unit - assigns quick-witted Mary Quinn to the case. Posing as a palace maid and fending off the attentions of the Prince of Wales are challenging enough, but when the prince witnesses a murder, Mary's case becomes anything but petty. Engineer and former flame James Easton has an assignment in the sewers, where someone is making illicit use of the tunnels. Mary will need James's help if she's going catch a thief, solve a murder - and avert disaster...

"She hoped it would continue to be, especially now. "These are the principles you taught me--the importance of justice, and even of second chances for those who never had a decent first chance. It's because of what I learned from you that I need to stay on the case."--The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

Comments: The Traitor in the Tunnel is the last book I have for this series on my shelf. I'm really looking forward to reading it. 

What are you reading this weekend?

Review: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

Title: The Body at the Tower
Author: Y.S. Lee
Source/Format: Purchased, Paperback
More Details: Young Adult, Historical, Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Candlewick Press, August 10, 2010

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository


Synopsis from Goodreads...

Now nearly a full-fledged member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary Quinn is back for another action-packed adventure. Disguised as a poor apprentice builder and a boy, she must brave the grimy underbelly of Victorian London - as well as childhood fear, hunger, and constant want - to unmask the identity of a murderer. Assigned to monitor a building site on the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Mary earns the confidence of the work crew, inching ever nearer her suspect. But if an irresistible desire to help the city's needy doesn't distract her and jeopardize her cover, unexpectedly meeting up with an old friend - or flame - just might...

So, I finally reread The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee. I was surprised by how much I didn’t remember about the book, but that made the reading experience all the more better. More often than not, I found myself getting into the book. The writing was highly engaging, and the plot ended up being really exciting and a complete page-turner as Mary Quinn took on her next case for the Agency.

Clearly, I now remember why I got into this series in the first place.

The Body at the Tower was basically about Mary and her continued employment with the Agency—which was an all-female agency of spies handling cases that are difficult to solve. The time period of the novel was historical, and featured many elements common to the genre. But, because of the setting, the continued existence of an organization like the Agency and its secretive activities was all the more awesome. Mary’s current case is as the title suggests, and her investigation takes her to the construction site where the clock tower is being built.

The plot, as I stated above, was really exciting even though I’ve read the book before. From the characters to the mystery, there were a lot of things I liked about The Body at the Tower. I was hooked again by Lee’s ability to craft a historical spy novel with plausible situations and emotional repercussions that worked well with the setting.

Mary’s backstory was pretty developed in the last book, but in The Body at the Tower, she grew even more. She had faults and emotions—some she understood well, and others she didn’t—and her past really shaped who she was. Mary was a well-rounded character.

Some of my other favorite characters from the last book were back—especially the “old friend” mentioned in the synopsis. I felt like that part of the story played out well, but never took the spotlight away from the mystery aspect of the novel.

Now, I’m really excited to reread the next book in the series, The Traitor in the Tunnel. Plus I’m going to look into getting the last book in the series. I don’t know when exactly I’ll get a copy, but I do want to see how it all ends for Mary and her friends.

The Friday 56 (60) The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Now nearly a full-fledged member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary Quinn is back for another action-packed adventure. Disguised as a poor apprentice builder and a boy, she must brave the grimy underbelly of Victorian London - as well as childhood fear, hunger, and constant want - to unmask the identity of a murderer. Assigned to monitor a building site on the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Mary earns the confidence of the work crew, inching ever nearer her suspect. But if an irresistible desire to help the city's needy doesn't distract her and jeopardize her cover, unexpectedly meeting up with an old friend - or flame - just might...

"Mary looked at him thoughtfully. She'd initially dismissed the lad as a bit dim: why else would he pick a fight he had no chance of winning? But now she wondered."--The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee



Have you read any mystery novels recently?

Review: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

Title: A Spy in the House
Author: Y.S. Lee
Source/Format: Purchased, Paperback
More Details: Young Adult, Historical, Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Candlewick Press, March 9, 2010

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

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...

I first read A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee several years ago, but I didn’t remember much about what happened. So, I was really excited to give the book another read, and I have to say that I still enjoyed it just as much as I did before. Rereading the book basically reminded me why I got into the series in the first place.

For starters, the plot was incredibly interesting. A Spy in the House was definitely a mystery at heart, intertwined with historical elements based in 1850s London, and the concept of a secret agency made up of women, exclusively. Lee did a relatively good job capturing the time period, and portraying what it was like for women of the time, through the eyes of the main character, Mary Quinn.

I liked Mary as a character. Her life wasn’t easy, but she grasped the opportunities that came to her. She had a desire to do more with her life than take up a profession more common to the time period, which significantly limited her options to things like teaching or being a governess. There was also a slew of interesting character that came from a variety of backgrounds. As such, I liked the way Lee showed the different characters and their interactions with Mary throughout the course of the novel.

The case handed to Mary was interesting. It dealt with missing cargo ships, questionable merchants, and a great deal of playing the part of a lady’s companion. From the very first page, there was enough suspense and action to keep me interested. There was romance, but it was nicely balanced with the mystery and never took the focus away from the plot.

So, A Spy in the House keeps its place as one of my favorite books, and I look forward to getting to A Body at the Tower and The Traitor in the Tunnel. And maybe, finally, I’ll get around to picking up the last book to see how the series ends.

The Friday 56 (55) A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Synopsis from Goodreads...

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...

"Miss Closet must have paused to repin that hair. It was scraped back severely now, when a few minutes ago it had been tumbling down her shoulders."--A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

Comments: I've just started my reread of this one. I read A Spy in the House a long time ago, and don't remember what happens in the book. So, I'm really excited to read it again. What are you reading this week?