A Spy in the House (The Agency #1)

A Spy in the House is the first book in the Agecny series by Y.S. Lee. The series is also known as the Mary Quinn Mysteries.

At the age of twelve, Mary Lang was sentenced to hang for being a thief. Instead of being taken to the gallows, she is rendered unconscious and taken to a school. Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls is a place for girls who could not normally afford an education. It is also a place to train female investigators.

When Mary turns seventeen she joins the Agency. Her first assignment is a simple one. She is the secondary agent on the case, and as such, only needs to observe the household while playing the part of a lady's companion.

Mary is more ambitious than that. She takes it upon herself to use her previous skills as a thief and find more information. Her snooping gets her caught by someone else who is investigating the family.

Together Mary and James will find every secret the family keeps - or die trying.

Lee has created a great series that shows readers London in the 1850s. She has found a way to show the roles of women at the time while creating a way for her characters to break out of those proscribed roles. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Lee, Y.S. (2010). A Spy in the House. New York: Candlewick Press.