Rivals in the City (The Agency Series #4)

by Y. S. Lee

Overview

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763672706
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/10/2015
Series:	Y. S. Lee's Agency Series , #4
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	HL820L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 15 Years

About the Author

Y. S. Lee was born in Singapore and raised in Vancouver and Toronto. In 2004, she completed her PhD in Victorian literature and culture. Her research, combined with time spent in London, inspired her to begin The Agency series. She now lives in Ontario with her family.

Editorial Reviews

Intrigue, romance and the rich details of Victorian life are the focus in the fourth installment of this mystery series featuring a complex female detective. ... As with the previous volumes, the elements of Victorian life are well-drawn, adding rich texture to the storytelling. ... Readers of the series will find this addition deeply satisfying as both a mystery and a historical romance.
—Kirkus Reviews

Lee’s intricate details of Victorian life strike an easy balance with the cozy mystery elements that will keep fans coming for more.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

04/01/2015
Gr 8 Up—The independent lady spy is back in the latest volume of the mystery series set in Victorian London. Laced with romance and intrigue, this title begins where the previous volume left off: Mary Quinn is debating whether she should marry love interest James Easton. The young woman also comes across more family secrets that cause her to question her loyalites. Lee's intricate details of Victorian life strike an easy balance with the cozy mystery elements that will keep fans coming for more.

School Library Journal

2014-12-22
Intrigue, romance and the rich details of Victorian life are the focus in the fourth installment of this mystery series featuring a complex female detective.As the book opens, heroine Mary Quinn is living a life she could not have imagined in her earlier years. She is independent and beginning a detective agency with her fiance, James Easton, who would like to marry soon. Her sense of gratitude causes her to take one more case for the Agency, where she learned her trade. Mary's skills have become formidable, but the ruthless criminal she agrees to track threatens to unravel the future the young couple has planned. Meanwhile, an important engineering project keeps James busy and away from Mary. In addition, a surprise appearance by a family member from China provides some answers to Mary's questions about her father's past. Lee successfully weaves all the threads together in this fast-paced mystery. As with the previous volumes, the elements of Victorian life are well-drawn, adding rich texture to the storytelling. The author demonstrates her expertise in the period with insight into its social mores that strengthens the narrative. Most of all, Mary Quinn and her supporting cast continue to reveal intriguing twists to a familiar setting. Readers of the series will find this addition deeply satisfying as both a mystery and a historical romance. (Historical mystery. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews