Author: Kelly Jones
Publisher: Random House Children’s
Publication Date: September 2017
Genre: Cozy Mystery / Young Adult
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN
Description: The year is 1818, the city is London, and our heroine, 16-year-old Annis Whitworth, has just learned that her father is dead and all his money is missing. And so, of course, she decides to become a spy.
Annis always suspected that her father was a spy, so following in his footsteps to unmask his killer makes perfect sense. Alas, it does not make sense to England’s current spymasters—not even when Annis reveals that she has the rare magical ability to sew glamours: garments that can disguise the wearer completely.
Well, if the spies are too pigheaded to take on a young woman of quality, then Annis will take them on.
She’ll follow the clues her father left behind and discover what befell him.
She’ll prove she can sew an impenetrable disguise.
She’ll earn a living without stooping to become a—shudder—governess.
It can’t be any harder than navigating the London social season, can it?
My Thoughts: Although this book is marketed for the young adult or teen audience, it never crossed my mind that the protagonist is only sixteen years old. I suppose in Regency England, being sixteen years old is practically an adult but it never occurred to me until I finished this book who its target audience is.
Don’t let that stop you from reading this utterly charming tale of a young woman who finds out that not only her father was murdered but he was also a spy. She also discovers that her father was very close to exposing a plot so heinous and foul that those who are actively working to bring Napolean Bonaparte back from exile have no issue getting rid of anyone who gets in their way, even a young girl. To make matters worse, Annis and her aunt learn they are destitute as her father’s money has also disappeared. To solve their financial dilemma, Annis decides she will become a spy too, only the War Office doesn’t take her seriously even though she has the rare talent of sewing glamours into garments, which can be useful for a spy, as it will disguise them completely.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and, like Annis, was quite surprised at the turn of events in this story. Keeping up with who could be trusted, whether they be a spy or a typical cad, could turn into a full time job and some much needed lessons in knife wielding and throwing comes at an opportune time. I admired Annis and her aunt, Cassia, for their ability to think quickly on their feet to try to solve their financial crisis while trying to keep their situation on the down low.
The big villain reveal wasn’t as much of a surprise as other events in the story and that is why I hope this author will write more as this story ends with many loose threads and hints of further adventures awaiting Annis, her aunt and their housemaid, Millie.
My Final Verdict: Overall, this story was very enjoyable and I highly recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries, historical settings and madcap adventures.
Thank you to the publisher, Random House Children’s, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
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