The Ruby in the Smoke

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Average customer rating 4 (2 comments)

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I love YA & mystery novels, so this book seemed like a good melding of those two things. I really enjoyed it, although I didn't *love* it. Philip Pullman is an expert writer, but sometimes the plot didn't hold my interest as much as I would've liked. I will undoubtedly read the rest of the Sally Lockhart books, though.

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I was looking for a fun, fast read and Philip Pullman provides that in The Ruby in the Smoke, along with an engaging, clever female lead and a cast of quirky and interesting characters. Set in grimy Victorian London, the book follows Sally Lockhart as she unravels a mystery involving the recent death of her father, the opium trade, the truth of her birth, and the famed Ruby of Agrapur. This is the first book in the series, and I'm eager to see where Pullman takes Sally next. This series isn't as well known as Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, which is a shame, and it didn't come to my attention until I saw the adaptation, but I'm glad it did. If you like light mysteries with a historical setting and a strong female lead, I highly recommend this series.