Get steeped in suspense, romance, and high Victorian intrigue as Mary goes undercover at Buckingham Palace - and learns a startling secret at th...
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reviews
Jan 01, 2012
Radha
rated it: 
This book was absolutely wonderful! There was sooo much you didn't expect. Leave it up to Y.S. Lee to make it a suspenceful yet funny Victorian novel. She put it the right amount of detail in the book. Enough to let you get the main idea of where the characters are and what they are doing, but not so much to bore you to death. It was so good I couldn't put it down until 2:43 am (I could have stayed up longer- but unfortunatly, I had school in a few hours). Something that I enjoy in all of Y.S. L
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Dec 26, 2011
Becky
rated it: 
Think Robert Downey Jr.’s version of Sherlock Holmes, but make him a seventeen-year-old girl. Y.S. Lee’s THE AGENCY: THE TRAITOR AND THE TUNNEL was so good that I purchased the two previous novels in the series.
Criminal-turned-spy, Mary Quinn, poses as a maid in Buckingham Palace to catch a petty thief, but stumbles across a more sinister issue in Queen Victoria’s castle. The third (and hopefully not final installment) reunites Mary with a well-developed cast of characters, including riva More...
Criminal-turned-spy, Mary Quinn, poses as a maid in Buckingham Palace to catch a petty thief, but stumbles across a more sinister issue in Queen Victoria’s castle. The third (and hopefully not final installment) reunites Mary with a well-developed cast of characters, including riva More...
Dec 15, 2011
Crstn29
rated it:
With the third book in "The Agency" series, one can tell that Mary Quinn is very much grown up now. Still working for the agency, and placed in Buckingham Palace as a maid to investigate a series of petty thefts, Mary stumbles onto a much bigger case. With unusually little guidance from the Agency, Mary navigates palace gossip and politics with surprising skill.
In addition to becoming a confidante to a member of the royal household involved in a murder which he cannot More...
In addition to becoming a confidante to a member of the royal household involved in a murder which he cannot More...
Sep 20, 2011
Dulcinea
rated it:
You should have seen my face when this book came in the mail, it was probably Facebook worthy!!
When I first started reading the book I was starting to feel a little let down, so I put it down and thought, what was missing? It was only then that I realized that my anticipation for this book had been building up for over a year, so I had envisioned some almighty holy grail-esque shining novel in which I would hear a choir singing whenever I turned a page. And that I shouldn't start the book More...
When I first started reading the book I was starting to feel a little let down, so I put it down and thought, what was missing? It was only then that I realized that my anticipation for this book had been building up for over a year, so I had envisioned some almighty holy grail-esque shining novel in which I would hear a choir singing whenever I turned a page. And that I shouldn't start the book More...
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Jan 06, 2012
Alicia
rated it:
Mary is a young woman with a covert life. From a poverty stricken youth in harsh Victorian London that finds her tried and convicted of thievery, to an unexpected reprieve at the hands of a couple of bright, forward thinking women, she is now a trained private detective in a secret, all women's agency. In this, the third novel of the Mary Quinn Mystery series, we find Mary working undercover as a maid in Buckingham Palace, trying to find the culprit in a series of petty thefts. Whilst on the jo
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Nov 15, 2011
Prangon
rated it:
After reading all three books of The Agency series, I have to say this has been my favorite.
Mary is yet again set to solve a mystery set in Buckingham Palace, and who else is there to cross her path? Why it was James Easton. The duo manages to keep out of the others toe for a time being but that was only momentary of course.
While trying to discover the main culprit to the case of missing pieces from the palace Mary stumbles on to something much more darker. A murder, and she is h More...
Mary is yet again set to solve a mystery set in Buckingham Palace, and who else is there to cross her path? Why it was James Easton. The duo manages to keep out of the others toe for a time being but that was only momentary of course.
While trying to discover the main culprit to the case of missing pieces from the palace Mary stumbles on to something much more darker. A murder, and she is h More...
Feb 17, 2012
Karen
rated it:
Mary Quinn is still working with the Agency, and her newest assignment is to work as a parlor maid in Buckingham Palace, where Queen Victoria has been plagued with petty thefts of expensive ornaments. There are bigger problems, though-- Price Bertie and a friend are attacked in an opium den and the friend is killed. The opium fiend responsible for the death is a Lascar named Lang, whom Mary determines is her long lost father. Also in the works are sewage changes to the palace, and who is working
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Jan 08, 2012
Melyssa
rated it:
Love. Lovelovelovelovelove. I am so overwhelmed by this book that I can't say much more than that. Maybe after I have stopped giggling like a school-girl over the awesomeness of Y.S. Lee's totally rad series I can review this book. Hopefully...
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Oct 02, 2011
Margaret H.
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This book made me laugh out loud, it made me flip pages frantically to find out WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT, it made me sigh soulfully over perfect romantic scenes, it made me cry, it was-- in short-- a Mary Quinn book. The mystery here is a little less tightly-plotted than the others have been, as the two disparate threads Mary is investigating never coalesce into a larger, joined problem and the payoff in each-- since neither has been the specific focus-- is therefore lessened. But Mary's emotional
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Feb 20, 2012
Mocha ღ Latte
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More of my reviews at A Cupcake and a Latte:YA Reads, Reviews & More!
The Genre Needs More Mary Quinn
Truly there is nothing greater than a good mystery. A good mystery that will have you clutching the novel's pages with suspense and wonder, one that will have you begging for more even after it's conclusion. The only mysteries to ever have done that to me have been that of Y.S Lee
In the Traitor in the Tunnel, the third installment in The Agency series, Mary Quin More...
The Genre Needs More Mary Quinn
Truly there is nothing greater than a good mystery. A good mystery that will have you clutching the novel's pages with suspense and wonder, one that will have you begging for more even after it's conclusion. The only mysteries to ever have done that to me have been that of Y.S Lee
In the Traitor in the Tunnel, the third installment in The Agency series, Mary Quin More...
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Feb 17, 2012
Donna
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What a great book! This is my introduction to Y.S. Lee's novels. She makes Victorian England come to life. I must get the first two in the series.
The relationship of Mary and James is enough to have me want to purchase and read the first two! They were a classic due. I loved the way they jabbed at each other throughout the book.
Imagine someone having the audacity to steal from Queen Victoria (we are not amused!). Mary is an undercover agent attempting to capture the thief. More...
The relationship of Mary and James is enough to have me want to purchase and read the first two! They were a classic due. I loved the way they jabbed at each other throughout the book.
Imagine someone having the audacity to steal from Queen Victoria (we are not amused!). Mary is an undercover agent attempting to capture the thief. More...
Sep 17, 2011
Becky
rated it:
I love this series and have been counting down the days until this book was released. I follow the authors blog and snapped up any snippets or news she posted about the book. Then when it came out I tried to hunt down a copy but my local bookshops didn't have it, so I ordered it from Amazon. When it arrived I just held it for a minute and stared. I couldn't believe I'd finally got it. I just knew it was going to be goooooodddd.
Mary is employed to find out who is stealing trinkets from the More...
Mary is employed to find out who is stealing trinkets from the More...
Feb 12, 2012
Steph Su
rated it: 
Whenever a new Agency novel by Y. S. Lee comes out, I always try to resist the temptation to devour it immediately, knowing that I will have to wait a while until the next book. I succeeded in resisting for all of approximately two weeks after I was approved for it on NetGalley. While, in my opinion, THE TRAITOR IN THE TUNNEL didn’t quite live up to how much I loved the first two Agency books, it is still a satisfying return to Lee’s Victorian London.
My biggest frustration with TRAITOR More...
My biggest frustration with TRAITOR More...
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Aug 14, 2011
Xolindsayxx18
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Actual Summary
Queen Victoria has a little problem: there’s a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Mary Quinn takes the simple case, going undercover as a domestic servant. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family.
One of the Prince of Wales’s irresponsible young friends is killed in disgraceful circumstances. Should the Queen hush things up or allow justice to take its course? Mary’s interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply perso More...
Queen Victoria has a little problem: there’s a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Mary Quinn takes the simple case, going undercover as a domestic servant. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family.
One of the Prince of Wales’s irresponsible young friends is killed in disgraceful circumstances. Should the Queen hush things up or allow justice to take its course? Mary’s interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply perso More...
Jan 27, 2012
Krystle
rated it:
Okay, this review will be short but let me just some this book up first in three words: fun, addicting, and fabulous.
I absolutely loved the new setting in this one. We went from the absolute lows of Victorian society (the poor and the hardworking who live in shoddy housing and unhygienic places) to the utmost of highs (the ruling royalty). It was so fun seeing how she portrayed everyone from the well-meaning, sharp, but also caring queen to the ineffective, cowardly, and lazy ponce o More...
I absolutely loved the new setting in this one. We went from the absolute lows of Victorian society (the poor and the hardworking who live in shoddy housing and unhygienic places) to the utmost of highs (the ruling royalty). It was so fun seeing how she portrayed everyone from the well-meaning, sharp, but also caring queen to the ineffective, cowardly, and lazy ponce o More...
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Jan 29, 2012
Rosa
rated it:
I love love lovie loved it!
The full review will be posted on January 28 2012 both here and at my blog:
http://far-past-midnight.blogspot.com/
Mary Quinn returns in another intriguing novel overflowing with suspense, scandals and romance...
After nearly 2 years with the agency, Mary is allocated her first real assignment: to discover the culprit behind petty thefts in Buckingham Palace. Disguised as a domestic, Mary must work quietly and efficiently without alerti More...
The full review will be posted on January 28 2012 both here and at my blog:
http://far-past-midnight.blogspot.com/
Mary Quinn returns in another intriguing novel overflowing with suspense, scandals and romance...
After nearly 2 years with the agency, Mary is allocated her first real assignment: to discover the culprit behind petty thefts in Buckingham Palace. Disguised as a domestic, Mary must work quietly and efficiently without alerti More...
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Feb 18, 2012
Mariah
rated it:
First of all if you haven't read this series and you even kind of like historical fiction or mystery. RUN don’t WALK to pick up the first two books before this one comes out on February 28th! Here is my review for the second book The Body at the Tower if you need more convincing.
The Traitor in the Tunnel is the third book in this series and trust me when I say I was DYING to read it. And while it was really, really good it wasn’t my favorite book of this series.
Mary as u More...
The Traitor in the Tunnel is the third book in this series and trust me when I say I was DYING to read it. And while it was really, really good it wasn’t my favorite book of this series.
Mary as u More...
Feb 20, 2012
Allison (The Allure of Books)
rated it:
Y’all, historical mysteries are one of my favorite genres. The Agency series by Y.S. Lee definitely delivers – I love these books! The Traitor in the Tunnel is easily the best yet.
Mary Quinn, working for the shadowy female Agency, is undercover at Queen Victoria’s palace as a maid. Some petty thefts have been going on, and Mary is hoping to figure out who is behind them. Then things get complicated. Extremely complicated. The prince witnesses a murder – and the accused murderer just More...
Mary Quinn, working for the shadowy female Agency, is undercover at Queen Victoria’s palace as a maid. Some petty thefts have been going on, and Mary is hoping to figure out who is behind them. Then things get complicated. Extremely complicated. The prince witnesses a murder – and the accused murderer just More...
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Aug 19, 2011
Carla
rated it:
Ah, Ying…you are amazing. If I could give you a big hug right now, I would, I would also look like a crazy person/creepy stalker, but it would be worth it, because you just wrote the most PERFECT third book in a series of this kind, and I'm so happy I can finally give my beloved Mary Quinn a 5 star rating! SO HAPPY!
In this third book, Mary is working as a maid at the Buckingham Palace, undercover, of course, for the Agency. Some objects have gone missing, suggesting there's a t More...
In this third book, Mary is working as a maid at the Buckingham Palace, undercover, of course, for the Agency. Some objects have gone missing, suggesting there's a t More...
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Feb 12, 2012
Kat
rated it:
Another fantastic Agency book! If you haven't started this series yet, I'd highly recommend it. I'm not even a big historical fiction reader but the characters are somehow thoroughly modern even in Victorian London.
In her latest adventure, Mary spends time at Buckingham Palace and has another run-in with her sometimes-paramour James Easton *insert swoony sigh*. While I had to work a little harder to suspend some of my disbelief, I thoroughly enjoyed the latest Agency novel.
Oct 05, 2011
Ruby Scarlett
rated it:
Good ending to a good series. I really like that the author doesn't necessarily give the reader what he or she wants - I was expecting a much more traditional story with Mary's father but I was pleasantly surprised. Our heroine is as lovely as ever and I actually cared for the couple by the end, they're really well-written together. My favourite part of the story is still contained within the first book, but it was so good to have Mary back!
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Jan 06, 2012
Angie
rated it:
Loved it. Even in the throes of stupid cedar fever and wanting to scratch my eyes out I loved it. Great characters. Great plot twists. Can't tell you about my favorite parts because they would be serious spoilers. :]
If you like period pieces at all then you have to read this series. Read 'em in order.
And ... more, please? Please? Was just talking to some kiddos at school today about how not all books need to be a series. But I want more!
If you like period pieces at all then you have to read this series. Read 'em in order.
And ... more, please? Please? Was just talking to some kiddos at school today about how not all books need to be a series. But I want more!
Dec 20, 2011
Jeanne
rated it:
I agree with others that say that this book is the best of the series so far. Mary Quinn is detecting in Queen Victoria's Buckingham Palace and find s several plots to pursue. Mary comes in contact with a man who she knows to be her father. She meets up with James again and finds that she still works very well with him.
The book ends in a way that certainly makes us want to read the next in the series.
The book ends in a way that certainly makes us want to read the next in the series.
Oct 11, 2011
Jay
rated it:
This book is by far, one of the best female espionage mysteries I've ever read! I really liked the protagonist, Mary Quinn. She's brave, intelligent and an adversary that's worth having. I've always imagined someone like her to become the main lead in a book.
This story is about Quinn disguising herself as a domestic servant in the Royal Palace because some thefts were happening in it and she's sent there to solve them. In the midst of it, she happened to know that Prince Bertie's frien More...
This story is about Quinn disguising herself as a domestic servant in the Royal Palace because some thefts were happening in it and she's sent there to solve them. In the midst of it, she happened to know that Prince Bertie's frien More...
Aug 10, 2011
Emjy
rated it:
YS Lee nous livre un 3ème tome absolument passionnant. Tout est finement orchestré : le mystère autour des origines de Mary, l'intrigue à Buckingham Palace et bien sûr, la romance avec James, toujours aussi irrésistible. Un excellent divertissement ! Mon préféré de la série pour l'instant :)
Sep 08, 2011
Jams
rated it:
I ordered this on amazon.uk because I couldn't wait for spring 2012, and it was totally worth the international shipping. Amazing!! Another stellar mystery and the romance gets better and better. Hurry up and write the next one, Ms. Lee! I love this series and all its characters. Definitely a WOW of a book, and deserves all its stars.
Jan 04, 2012
John
rated it:
The best yet of the three Agency novels! And if you're between seasons of Downton Abbey, you'll enjoy a little taste of the Upstairs/Downstairs life at Buckingham Palace, too!
Feb 07, 2012
Alyson
rated it:
Another great book in the series. I especially loved the ending - Tied things up without leaving you hanging BUT really set up the next book also.
Dec 13, 2011
Tiffany
rated it:
I love this series but was a little disappointed. Where was James? Yes he was there but we only saw him 3 times. NOT ENOUGH!!!! What is the deal with Octavius? I hope a relationship will not develop there.
