allisonsmith120's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
iffer's review against another edition
This is a solid historical mystery series. I find it engaging, and I like the idea of the Agency. I like the lighthearted teasing dynamic between the main character and her love interest, as well. I wish that there was a more in-depth/nuanced discussion about the main character's feelings about being mixed race other than her saying multiple times that she has to blend in as white, for reasons...
connieholladay's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series. The mystery and the characters. I lo the setting and all of the views of the social classes. I can't wait to read the next one. I really want to know what happens between Mary and James.
littleelfman's review against another edition
5.0
This was great! I read book one years ago and loved it at the time, and then I did this one on audio read by Justine Eyre and she did a brilliant job!
nina1117's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I really like the series, or the idea of it, but I'm not enjoying as much as I feel I should. Its not the anachronisms nor the story, but the characters themselves. I feel like I don't know enough about Mary; she's too guarded and hidden. And I really really don't approve of her choice of denying her ethnicity. I know that it was a different time and I figure that Lee is going to deal with it in the 3rd book, but I was really disappointed in her as a role model in that aspect. And, James, oh pretty, arrogant James. I just don't like him. He and Mary are always having petty, unromantic fights and how he acted at the end of this book made me so angry! Every time I begin to like him, Lee makes me hate him! I am really hoping I will like the third one better; I really want to!
iselenamethod22's review against another edition
3.0
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Reason(s): I felt that the pace was a little slow. Also, I was getting a little bored with Mary's turns at the point of view. Which is never good. ;)
Basically, I still really liked the characters and the mystery was pretty good (although, I think, not as good as the first one), but it just didn't deserve four stars. *shrugs* Mary, the MC, was a character who had great potential (and I liked her) but she shone the best when interacting with the love interest. So I found myself looking forward to those scenes and not the ones by herself.
It was an enjoyable read though. :)
Reason(s): I felt that the pace was a little slow. Also, I was getting a little bored with Mary's turns at the point of view. Which is never good. ;)
Basically, I still really liked the characters and the mystery was pretty good (although, I think, not as good as the first one), but it just didn't deserve four stars. *shrugs* Mary, the MC, was a character who had great potential (and I liked her) but she shone the best when interacting with the love interest. So I found myself looking forward to those scenes and not the ones by herself.
It was an enjoyable read though. :)
thunderbolt_kid's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this more than the first book, but it is not plotted exactly like a typical cozy mystery. I was glad to see that there are more than the originally-planned trilogy of books as I am hoping they keep improving. (This is still a recommend to read, I think).
lazygal's review against another edition
4.0
I much prefer this Mary to Mary Russell - even though they're both exceptional Victorian era women drawn to solving crimes, I think it's the Holmes tie-in that makes me dislike Russell and prefer Quinn.
Anyway, this Mary is hiding things from everyone: her real name, her ethnicity, and on this case, her gender. The sense of what it was like to work during the Victorian era fluctuates. At times the author gets it right, at other times it vanishes under the guise of "moving the plot forward", and there were moments when I thought that a bit of description had been tossed in for authenticity's sake rather than because we were truly in that world. I did like the fact that we weren't given pages of "this is what it was like to live during that time", on the other hand, and certain things were put in as though of course the reader would know about them. The mystery itself is one of those solved-at-the-last-moment ones, with the explication coming as a last-minute confession. I'm not fond of that device!
Still, the developing relationship between Mary and the Agency, Mary and James, and Mary and a few other characters who I'm sure will be back (like Jones and Jenkins) is enough to keep me interested in the next book in the series.
ARC provided by the publisher.
Anyway, this Mary is hiding things from everyone: her real name, her ethnicity, and on this case, her gender. The sense of what it was like to work during the Victorian era fluctuates. At times the author gets it right, at other times it vanishes under the guise of "moving the plot forward", and there were moments when I thought that a bit of description had been tossed in for authenticity's sake rather than because we were truly in that world. I did like the fact that we weren't given pages of "this is what it was like to live during that time", on the other hand, and certain things were put in as though of course the reader would know about them. The mystery itself is one of those solved-at-the-last-moment ones, with the explication coming as a last-minute confession. I'm not fond of that device!
Still, the developing relationship between Mary and the Agency, Mary and James, and Mary and a few other characters who I'm sure will be back (like Jones and Jenkins) is enough to keep me interested in the next book in the series.
ARC provided by the publisher.
lisalark's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in Lee's The Agency quartet, set in Victorian London and featuring a clever and highly trained undercover operative as the main character. I enjoyed the further development of Mary's skill and character, and loved the history around the building of the houses of parliament and what was, at the time, called St. Stephen's tower. Once again Lee has clearly done her research and many small historical details shine through, meaning you can learn something while having fun.
Again, due to mentions of things like domestic violence, child abuse and murder (all handled in a matter-of-fact historical and related to the story way) I think this is probably best for teens in middle school or high school, or mature kids of 11 or 12. I didn't find any of the topics off-putting or distracting, they're historically accurate and integral to plot points, but maybe scary for young kids.
Start with the first book in the series and enjoy!
Again, due to mentions of things like domestic violence, child abuse and murder (all handled in a matter-of-fact historical and related to the story way) I think this is probably best for teens in middle school or high school, or mature kids of 11 or 12. I didn't find any of the topics off-putting or distracting, they're historically accurate and integral to plot points, but maybe scary for young kids.
Start with the first book in the series and enjoy!