The Body at the Tower

The Body at the Tower
By Y.S. Lee
Candlewick Press, 2010. 337 pgs. Young Adult

In the second book in the Agency series, Mary Quinn finds herself with an unusual assignment: to disguise herself as a boy and try to discover what she can about the death of a man at the construction site of the House of Parliament. The Agency isn't in the habit of having their women spies work as men, and for Mary there's an extra challenge as it reminds her of her days of extreme poverty and homelessness before she was rescued by members of the Agency. Still, she's determined to face her fears and do her best for her employer by working at the building site as an apprentice. However, her task proves more difficult than she expected--especially when her former ally James Easton shows up on the building site.

This second installment of the Agency series is a good pick for those who enjoy a Victorian setting with a modern tone: it's faster-paced than the classics and has a protagonist who's willing to flout some social mores. With adventure, romance, and intrigue (and only a little bit of language), there wasn't much I didn't like about this book.

AE