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

Y.S. Lee (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Agency | Publication Date: March 9, 2010

Introducing an exciting new series! Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Mary Quinn, a scrappy 12-year-old orphan and accomplished thief in Victorian London, is saved from the gallows by a stranger and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, an institution dedicated to turning out strong, independent, educated young women. Though reluctant at first, she accepts the challenge and eventually becomes a teacher herself. At 17, she is recruited by the mistresses of the school to join a covert group of female spies known as The Agency. Her first assignment involves posing as a lady's companion to the daughter of a man suspected of fraud and smuggling. She carries out her investigation at night and during stolen moments, but soon finds that she is not the only one on the case. Is James Easton a friend or foe? A dramatic rescue from a burning building reveals the true villain but leaves other questions unanswered. Lee fills the story with classic elements of Victorian mystery and melodrama. Class differences, love gone awry, racial discrimination, London's growing pains in the 1850s, and the status of women in society are all addressed. Historical details are woven seamlessly into the plot, and descriptive writing allows readers to be part of each scene. Readers who liked Phillip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke (Knopf, 2008) will find similar elements in this new series starter.—Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

She was sentenced to the gallows at age 12. Pickpocket Mary Quinn doesn’t care. Her life, nasty and brutish, will also be blessedly short. Then, shockingly, she’s rescued and ensconced at Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. When readers meet Mary after this prologue, she is 17 and bored with her teaching job at the Academy. Happily, there’s more going on there than learning. Mary is recruited into the Agency, a secret band of women investigators. Her first job is ostensibly to be a lady’s companion. Actually, she’s at the Thorold home to observe and discover what she can about the mysterious sinking of Thorold’s ships. But Mary’s not much for observing and soon finds herself in the midst of murder. The new Agency series is what you’d expect, very well done, and a little more. Mary’s feisty, the mystery is solid (if a little boring), and the romantic interest is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Darcy. The secret of Mary’s parentage will make an interesting string to run through succeeding books. V for vivid Victoriana. Grades 8-12. --Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (March 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763640670
• ISBN-13: 978-0763640675
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great novel!, August 3, 2009

By 

K. Lee - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Agency (No. 1) (Paperback)

I wasn't convinced that I was going to like this book. Primarily comprised of two genres that I don't typically read (young adult literature and mystery novels), I just didn't see myself getting into it. Even the publisher's description and multiple rave reviews from other lit review websites did little to pique my interest. I had pledged to read it however, and so I dutifully sat down one day to give it a fair chance.

I was extremely impressed.

The opening statement made me smile - not so much for its actual content, but for its technical prowess. I must admit that I spent a good portion of the first few chapters distracted from the storyline by the writer's skill and craft. This isn't to say that they are not interesting, by any means - it's just that the book is very well written and I tend to get distracted from the big picture by the details. :p

Once I settled into a groove, I was transported back in time - the transition seamless and effortless on my part. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy, but it's all very believable and "about right according to what I've been led to believe" for the time period. There are certainly no glaring discrepancies, additions, or omissions. Very interesting to me was the focus on poverty and the lower class structure. Most literature of that period barely acknowledges the working class aside from them being there, but essentially invisible - which I suppose would have been appropriate at the time. Given the heroine's background, this is a very nice viewpoint and serves as a bit of a literary palate cleanser for those steeped in the works of Wilde, Maugham, Shaw, and the classics.

Character and plot development are strong, with the pace never dawdling but not appearing rushed at any time. Without giving anything away there are a few nice twists in the plot (as any good mystery novel ought to have), and the conclusion seems neither strained nor saccharine - something sadly missing in much of modern literature.

It is written such that a bright young pre-teenager would be able to grasp the storyline and get "hooked"; but it is not dumbed down, nor does it pander to that audience. Adults will also thoroughly enjoy reading this novel. Even elitist, self-proclaimed literary snobs such as myself. :p

Overall I'd say that this is an excellent read, and a great kickoff to the trilogy. Though really, why stop there? For a person unconvinced that he'd enjoy reading this novel beforehand, I must admit that I'm looking forward to reading the next two.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect read, April 14, 2011

By 

Stephanie (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Agency 1: A Spy in the House (Paperback)

Helloooo, new favorite book! A Spy in the House was absolutely brilliant. It executed a great mystery, was never slow or boring, and had leads that were both complex and captivating. Mary easily joined the ranks as one of my favorite characters. She was clever, had spirit, and was not afraid to stand her ground. Then there was James Easton who was very much Mary's equal. The two could bring out the best and worst of each other, but it was a good balance and they made quite the team together.

The mystery was very well written, neither too convoluted nor too obvious. All of the characters involved had evidence against them, making them equal suspects, and yet the conclusion still managed to surprise me. Details of Mary's past were also revealed and it was very easy to empathize with her. I'm looking forward to seeing more information surface in the future installments and for Mary to fully accept her identity.

Then there was the romance... James and Mary easily have some of the best chemistry I've come across. From their first encounter in the wardrobe, I knew they would be a pair I would love and that proved to be true. If you're looking for declarations of love, and all that goes with the usual YA novel, you won't find it here, but you will find a compatible match with these two. Their banter and sexual tension was fantastic and it can only get better from here.

This book kept me up until the early hours of the morning to finish up the story. As the end approached, I ran to my computer to order the next book in the trilogy, The Body at the Tower. I can't recommend this enough, so definitely give it a chance if you can!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, December 11, 2011

By 

Mel Rose (MD, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Agency 1: A Spy in the House (Hardcover)

The Agency 1: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee is the first book in a trilogy series that follows Mary Quinn. This book starts out with Mary being twelve years old about to be hanged when a stranger saves her and takes her to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. Once she turns seventeen, she's recruited to work for a secret agency of female spies and her first assignment is to pose as a lady's companion to the daughter of a man suspected of fraud and smuggling.

I loved the setting in the book. One of my favorite time periods is Victorian London and I loved the way it was presented in this book. Realistic and enjoyable.

I also love Mary. She's such a fun, loveable character. It's easy to like her. The same with James. I love the way the two of the work together, even if he's a bit arrogant with her and she gets a bit spunky with him. Maybe that makes it even more enjoyable. Plus, the romance between them isn't strong or overwhelming. It's subdued enough to take a back seat to the main plot. And it wasn't based on looks, like so many books out there. It was deeper than that.

I did want to know more about Mary and some of the information we found out seemed a bit odd or randomly placed, but overall it wasn't bad. Not crazy about the whole reveal/monologue/bad guy explaining his whole plot step by step like it was in here.

Overall, this book was a great mystery book, historical fiction book, and just a great book in general. I highly recommend this book to anyone.