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. (Age 12 and up) 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 … 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.
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There’s a lot I love about this series so far (I’m already on the second book)–the wonderful characters, the intricate mystery, and the fast-paced story. Despite the quick pace, you get to see a lot of London that you don’t normally get to see in books set in this era. What life is like for women, small children, different classes, and different …
I read this as part of a book club, and overall I enjoyed it. I believe it is listed as a YA book, but I think it could be appreciated by a wider audience as well.
Set in 1850s London, Mary Quinn, a poor 12 year old orphan, is sentenced to hang for stealing when she is rescued by the headmistress of a very selective academy for girls. She is …
This was one of the best books I have ever read during the whole 11 years of life.
On the verge of being hung for a crime she committed, orphaned Mary Quinn is surprised when she is rescued and offered a chance at a second life. She is educated and trained in Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. What she doesn’t realize is that this academy is that it is a front of an all-female investigative team and she’s about to have her …
If you are a parent/adult who loves regency/historical era books, this YA is for you. Mary Quinn is a poor child miscreant, rescued from the gallows and taken to an upscale academy for girls, where she will learn to become a lady. At seventeen, Mary learns the school is only a cover for an organization known as the Agency. She is recruited by the …