Review published on June 6, 2017.
It is 1905 and Margaret, a young lady of slender means and experience, takes a secretarial job that turns out to be more than she bargained for, working for a shadowy government intelligence department tasked with saving the world from the Edwardian incarnation of SPECTRE. Having grown up reading mystery novels with a female investigator as the heroine, she throws herself into her new role with gusto. Events are more gruesome than the lark she expects, but she is plucky and resourceful and doesn’t waver, especially when a puzzling link to her own family history emerges. We follow her adventures, with the added bonus of a little romance, and it is a really enjoyable romp through the grimy streets of London and into the countryside of early 20th century England. Murder, betrayal, hidden treasure and identities, family secrets – all the right ingredients – plus some memorable characters, particularly Margaret herself.
My overwhelming impression of this novel is that it is terrifically well plotted. Clever too – I am no expert at decyphering clues in mystery stories but at various points I would think myself pretty smart to have noticed something only to read in the next paragraph that Margaret comes to the same conclusion. I was even allowed to out-guess her on one occasion towards the end. Was it designed to flatter someone like me into thinking I was well up to speed? If so, it succeeded and kept me riveted to the pages following. The structure is well considered too, alternating between Margaret’s narrative and reports from the agent in the field keeps the action moving along at a cracking pace.
I confess I am still mystified by the ending (and like to think that my pal Margaret was too) – a tantalising loose end that cries out for a sequel. Can’t wait!
A perfect holiday read, but I don’t imagine it’s reading group material.
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