A nice wrap-up for the quartet

Mary Quinn and James Easton find that a spectre from their past threatens both their happiness and safety. This felt like it went by quicker than the previous books, maybe because we know these characters for the most part (though I could've spent more time with Lang and integrating him into the narrative). ( )

The last book in the Mary Quinn quartet. Sigh. I was both satisfied at the ending, which tied up some loose ends and saw many reconciliations (between Anne and Felicity, and between Mary and her past ). It was fitting that Mary's story ended with the resolution of the Thorolds' story, since her first case involved them.

(Though I really wish we had seen more of Octavius Jones, who I really like as a foil to James Easton.) ( )

This is the fourth book in “The Agency” series, a charming blend of mystery and romance set in Victorian England London in the late 1850s.

Mary Quinn is now a fully-trained detective thanks to her time with The Agency - a secret spy ring used by the police as well as private clients. Recently, The Agency underwent a shakeup after an altercation between its two managers, Anne Treleaven and Felicity Frame. Their dispute was ideological, although there has been, throughout the series, the suggestion that the woman had a personal relationship as well. In any event, now each of them runs her own agency, and Mary, loathe to choose between them, has paired with her fiancé, James Easton, to form yet a third private detective firm.

In addition, Mary, who is now 20, is independent for the first time in her life, thanks to a very generous payment for services nine months ago from Queen Victoria.

As this installment begins, Anne comes to see Mary to offer her one last job for the Agency. Henry Thorold, whom Mary was sent undercover to investigate for her first job as a detective, was dying. Scotland Yard was hoping that his wife, the more serious criminal of the two, would come back to London to make contact with him, whereupon they hoped to catch her and arrest her. Mary would be most likely to recognize her.

Anne asked Mary to do this as a favor, adding, “I know there’s nothing now to tie you to the Agency….” Except, thought Mary, gratitude, memories, and very real affection for this woman who along with Felicity had rescued her from certain death and been like parents to her. And so of course she agreed.

In the meantime, James was approached by Felicity, who believed it was James who was best-placed to spot Mrs. Thorold. An engineer, he was hired to help the Bank of England alter their gold vaults. Felicity believed Mrs. Thorold would stage a robbery during the reconstruction process.

And so, James and Mary began to work separately and unwittingly for the two former partners and now rivals.

In a side plot, Mary and James go to see a Chinese pugilist who is touting the superiority of Chinese hand-and-foot fighting. Mary feels drawn to this young man, in part because of her own half-Chinese heritage, which she keeps secret in light of the racism against Asians in England. Indeed, she discovered there was a most unexpected actual connection between them.

All the threads come together in the end, but at the cost of a number of lives, and with Mary in mortal danger.

The book, which is presumably the end of the series, ends, however, in a way that will please readers, while still leaving room for more resolution if the author chooses to pick up the story again.

Evaluation: History and romance are enhanced by the author including Mary’s love/hate exploration of her identity as a hated “half-breed”. The intrigue and tension-building will keep readers turning the pages. I hope the author decides to expand upon the series. ( )

Mary and James have set up their own independent detective agency They are investigating the possibility that the mastermind of the first book will come out of hiding to visit her husband who is dying in prison. Meanwhile, James has been asked by one of the remaining Agency women to do some investigating himself. And so begins a very intriguing novel that has lots of twists and turns as the final one in the series. ( )

A marginally satisfying conclusion to the series. The core conflict presented as the story's premise seemed somewhat of a stretch to me from the beginning. Nevertheless, I enjoy Lee's writing even though I'd rank this the least enjoyable of the four Agency books. I'd highly recommend this series to teens interested in historical mysteries. ( )