The Body in the Tower by Y.S. Lee

Lee, Y.S. The Body in the Tower, 337 p. Candlewick, 2010.  $16.99.  Language: PG (9 swears).  Mary Quinn is almost a full member of The Agency, an all female detective agency in Victorian England.  Now, however, the proprietoresses are asking Mary to return to her roots, disguise herself as a young boy and ferret out a murderer at the building site for the future Big Ben.  There are more threats that murder awaiting Mary, especially when a old flame and a nosy reporter endanger Mary’s cover.  Victorian detective novels for kids are not a huge draw, but Lee crafts a tension-filled novel with good plotting and character development.  MS – OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher