The Body at the Tower
By Y.S. Lee
Publication date: August 10, 2010
My review:
In this sequel to A Spy in the House, Mary Quinn is on the job again but this time the stakes are even higher as she disguises herself as a young boy to infiltrate a construction crew. A worker plummeted to his death from St. Stephen's Tower at night. There have also been mysterious thefts and injuries going on at the site. Mary's investigation is complicated as she faces the nightmares of her past and then James Easton returns, bringing complications of a different sort as Mary tries to untangle her feelings and avoid detection.
The Body at the Tower is another fantastic mystery set in Victorian London. Mary proves again that she is intelligent, courageous, and resourceful. It is hard to read about her struggle with her ethnic identity and her fears from the past as a child on the street. Mary matures over the course of this book in part because of her return to more difficult circumstances while she is impersonating a young boy. It is inspiring to see her newfound confidence and her determination to help those who are struggling. Mary's ability to confront the hardships of her past head on enables her to grow as a person. Her relationship with James also begins to deepen but as usual her work is a barrier between them.
The Body at the Tower was also enjoyable from a historical perspective. I found it fascinating to read about the construction of St. Stephen's and the lives and working conditions of the construction crew. Big Ben is a famous landmark but I didn't really know much about its beginnings. I was a little disappointed that the mystery surrounding Mary's dad was not elaborated on but I am hopeful that we will find out more about him in the next book. If you enjoy mysteries I would strongly encourage you to give the Agency series a try. You won't be disappointed!
The Body at the Tower was also enjoyable from a historical perspective. I found it fascinating to read about the construction of St. Stephen's and the lives and working conditions of the construction crew. Big Ben is a famous landmark but I didn't really know much about its beginnings. I was a little disappointed that the mystery surrounding Mary's dad was not elaborated on but I am hopeful that we will find out more about him in the next book. If you enjoy mysteries I would strongly encourage you to give the Agency series a try. You won't be disappointed!
I loved your review, and while I was not all that taken with the first book of this series, I think I will give this one a try and see if I enjoy it better than the first.
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