The Agency trilogy concludes with Mary Quinn having to make some choices. The Agency, which runs a group of female detectives, has placed Mary in Buckingham Palace. There's been thievery at Buck House, and Mary is masquerading as a maid to find out who has been pilfering some of the Queen's objets d'art. But that little mystery gets pushed to the side when the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, witnesses a murder at an opium den. Then Mary deduces that the murderer is a long-lost member of her family. Yee, as ever, paints an evocative picture of London life and brings the romance between Mary and her sparring partner, James, to a happy conclusion. Less satisfying is the result of Mary's meeting with someone close to her. There had been hints in previous books that there was more to their story, but those details aren't disclosed here. Still, Mary makes for a bold heroine (sometimes too bold for her own good), and her fans will want to find out how it all ends.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist

This third installment puts detective Mary Quinn undercover again, this time in Buckingham Palace. She's assigned to uncover who has been stealing the Queen's collectables; she stumbles upon a much more disturbing secret involving the Prince of Wales, an opium den, and a man who might be her long-lost father. The vivid Victorian-era setting and expert plotting continue to be entertaining. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.