The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart Trilogy, #1)

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The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart #1)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 10,947 ratings · 721 reviews

“BEWARE THE SEVEN blessings . . . ” When she first utters these words, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart doesn’t know their meaning. But when an employee of her late father hears them, he dies of fear. Thus begins Sally’s terrifying journey into the seamy underworld of Victorian London, in search of clues to her father’s mysterious death.

Paperback, 256 pages

Published September 9th 2008 by Knopf Books for Young Readers (first published 1985)

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Sep 01, 2012 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: victorians, london, ya

I'm a big fan of 'His Dark Materials' and 'Ruby in the Smoke' is set in a similar Victorian world, but without the steampunk or magical elements. It's a murder mystery where teenage orphan Sally Lockhart searches for her father's killer and tries to discover his connection to the Ruby of the title and the significance of his last warning to her - 'Beware the seven blessings.'

At around 200 pages it was a quick read. The writing is not quite as sophisticated as 'His Dark Materials', but is still...more

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Derrick "suddenly discovering Frederick is an expert climber is one that springs to mind"

I have not read this book, but your point is well-taken. I hate it wh...more
Dec 31, 2012 08:42pm

Lindsay Pate I am working my way through the "His Dark Materials" trilogy for my second time (the first was when I was younger). I have a new passion for the serie...more
Feb 26, 2013 08:37pm

Peter Lindsay wrote: "I am working my way through the "His Dark Materials" trilogy for my second time (the first was when I was younger). I have a new passi...more
updated Feb 28, 2013 06:54am

Dec 09, 2008 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Yes

Recommended to Larissa by: Jenna

With a subtitle of "A Sally Lockhart Mystery," one might expect the first installment of said series to be about a girl who restores pinched puppies to their rightful dowdy owners. And you wouldn't be more wrong! The Ruby in the Smoke introduces Sally, a self-made woman already at 16 years old, with an accidental death and a call to action. Her father has died under mysterious circumstances, and it's up to her (and eventually a merry, ragtag band of comrades including an equally quickwitted youn...more

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Dec 18, 2008 LorCon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I'm a big fan of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, so I thought I would give this a try. Heck, I even liked the Golden Compass movie (two words--Daniel Craig). This is what librarians call "young adult" literature i.e. "for teenagers." As such, I find it a bit disturbing. I'm a far cry from a book-burning censor but this heroine is not my idea of a role model. Set in Victorian London, Sally Lockhart is an orphan (of course)who falls in with a Dickensian cast of characters to solve her father...more

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Dec 01, 2008 Michael Ames rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a refreshing departure for Philip Pullman, for those of us who are only acquainted with His Dark Materials. It's a great mystery, immediately engaging with authentic, realistic characters and settings. I'd recommend it for adults and mature teenagers with a taste for dark mystery. I'll read the next one.

In fact, the only reason I can't give this book four stars is that parents need to be very cautious about the age and emotional maturity of children who read it. The Ruby in the Sm...more

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Dec 17, 2007 Chrissie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i read this trilogy approximately 7.5 million times when i was younger. so good. and it taught me all i know about opium use. no kidding.

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Jun 22, 2012 Rhiannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Rhiannon by: The January Pick - Forever Young Adult's Boston Bookclub

Shelves: read-in-2012, century-of-awesome, clubbies, past-tenses, snooty-brits, ya-realistic-times, completed-series, whoa-setting, i-suck-at-using-the-library, i-love-this-author, dont-forget-to-buy-this-someday

Philip Pullman might have the biggest pair of balls in YA Lit. In my first foray into Pullman's work, he killed God and encouraged teen sex to heal the world. In The Ruby In The Smoke: A Sally Lockhart Mystery, his teenage heroine is encouraged to use drugs to fill in the plot-holes of her life, and she shoots and kills an evil pirate, with a gun she had locked and loaded in her handbag. Lolz - love it!

The setting of The Ruby... is perhaps my favorite setting ever: Victorian London. The East End...more

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Mar 05, 2008 Ana T. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2008

I started this book with great expectation having heard so much about Pullman and his His Dark Materials books. Besides it is set in Victorian London and I love those stories.

Have you ever heard the phrase The Seven Blessings?
That question causes a man to die of shock, and propels Sally Lockhart into a desperate adventure that will expose the deepest secrets of the corrupt and murderous opium trade.
Sally is sixteen when the story begins, orphaned and alone. She's had an unconventional educatio...more I started this book with great expectation having heard so much about Pullman and his His Dark Materials books. Besides it is set in Victorian London and I love those stories.

Have you ever heard the phrase The Seven Blessings?
That question causes a man to die of shock, and propels Sally Lockhart into a desperate adventure that will expose the deepest secrets of the corrupt and murderous opium trade.
Sally is sixteen when the story begins, orphaned and alone. She's had an unconventional education: her knowledge of English Literature, French, History, Art and Music is non-existent, but she has a thorough grounding in military tactics, can run a business, ride like a Cossack and shoot straight with a pistol. When her father is drowned in suspicious circumstances in the South China Sea, Sally soon finds herself in terrible danger too - and at the rotten heart of it all lies the deadly secret of the ruby in the smoke.

I found he has a great way to describe characters and setting, I could almost see Sally and the Garlands and Mrs Holland going about the streets of London. However I think there were some problems with the plot. It's supposedly a mystery however I never felt a suspense thrill, it mentions opium dens and shady characters but only in some few selected scenes did I feel that dark atmosphere. Sally never really interested me much, she is supposedly the sleuth that is going to discover everything but I felt that we get as much information from the villains if not more than from Sally. She was more worried in trying to remember the past and to know why her father was killed than actually looking for the lost ruby or helping save Adelaide when that was needed. I could never really warm up to her. On the other hand I really liked Jim and Rosa and would really like to know what happened to Adelaide.

The bad guys are really bad, namely the infamous Mrs Holland but it seems she manages to hurt everybody except Sally, who is supposedly the real target! Isn't that odd? Besides the story is slowly revealed, at times too slowly and then in the last chapters everything is solved with a nicely thought twist to explain everything and every character involved.

It seems to me that the idea behind the story was a good one (I keep thinking of Emilio Salgari's stories because of the indian bad guys and the famous cursed jewel) but somehow the final result is not as good as it should be.

Grade: C+(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Lauren Acton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fya-book-club

I reread this for the FYA bookclub. I remember being much more enchanted with it 10 years ago, but maybe I'm thinking of the second book. The characters and the setting of Victorian England are interesting but not fully fleshed out. I think Val said it seemed like a prequel to her, and I agree with that. It functions like a 'how these characters met each other and decided to form a detective agency' novella. I think it would have much more emotional impact if it were longer, so I cared more when...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Gale rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure-young-adult

:“Lime house Blues Over One Red Gem”

Sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart, grieving her father’s mysterious shipboard death, becomes embroiled in the London underworld when she seeks information about his business and her own inheritance. Raised in an unconventional manner—especially by Victorian standards, Sally proves no shrinking violet. Yet neither is she a reckless daredevil of a heroine; just sincerely devoted to the memory of her honest and intelligent parent.

Sally’s confusion and curiosity...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Ruby in the Smoke is about a young girl -- Sally -- receiving a note in the mail three months after her fathers death. It reads "Sali beware of the seven blessings. Marchbanks will help chattum. Bware darling." (Yes, there are misspellings in the letter... the person who wrote it wasn't very literate). Intrigued, she tries to find out what the seven blessings are. She figures out there are people close to her that can't be trusted, and enemies she didn't know she had. In order to understand...more

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Sep 12, 2012 D.L. Morrese rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first of Philip Pullman’s Victorian mystery novels featuring Sally Lockhart. She is 16-years-old in this story, her father has just died in a shipwreck, and she finds herself in the middle of nefarious dealings involving a missing ruby, criminal gangs, fraud, piracy, and the opium trade.
Because the protagonist is young, this is often considered a Young Adult novel. Don’t let this mislead you. This is a well-crafted tale of mystery, murder, and intrigue. The characters are engaging. T...more This is the first of Philip Pullman’s Victorian mystery novels featuring Sally Lockhart. She is 16-years-old in this story, her father has just died in a shipwreck, and she finds herself in the middle of nefarious dealings involving a missing ruby, criminal gangs, fraud, piracy, and the opium trade.
Because the protagonist is young, this is often considered a Young Adult novel. Don’t let this mislead you. This is a well-crafted tale of mystery, murder, and intrigue. The characters are engaging. The prose is exceptional.
Victorian England is a great setting for stories because of the sharp contrasts it provides -- from the largely illiterate poor working in sweatshops or grubbing a living on the streets of London, to the cultured gentry living on returns from investments of inherited capital. The extraordinary portrayal of this time and the details scattered throughout the scenes in this book make it seem as if they were written by someone who lived there, or who is, at least, intimately familiar with it and can bring it to life for those of us who are not.
I often find myself uncomfortable putting novels in predefined genre cubbyholes because the best of them often don’t fit. This is one. I think the YA categorization of this particular book and the rest of the series is most inappropriate. Sally is not a typical teenager and she is not a typical Victorian young lady. Neither is she a role model many people would want their kids to emulate, although I, as and adult, found her admirable. She defies convention, questions authority, and does her best in a bad situation.
The story is dark, at times, darker than I normally prefer, and although a hopeful conclusion comes a bit unexpectedly, it is not a case of “and they all lived happily ever after.”
In my opinion, this ranks among the best Victorian mystery novels that I have read. The story is suspenseful, the characters are well portrayed and believable, and the protagonist is likeable. I highly recommend it -- for adults. (Some kids may like it, too.)
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May 27, 2012 Arati Devasher rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-at-book-weyr

The first in the Sally Lockhart series, this events of this book begin in 1872. Pullman begins with "Her name was Sally Lockhart; and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man."

Sixteen-year-old Veronica Beatrice “Sally” Lockhart receives a note in the mail and visits her father’s partner, Samuel Selby, to ask what it note means. Instead she meets Mr. Higgs, Mr. Selby’s secretary, and asks him two things: did he know of a man named Marchbanks, and has he ever had heard of something call...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Lucinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Philip Pullman's 'Ruby in the Smoke' is an exciting tale of drama and mystery that will leave you in complete suspense and sitting on the edge of your seat with tense aprehension. I thoroughly enjoyed Philip Pulman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy but was disapointed to thus find that the rest of his works were less adviertised or publisised, as they in my mind are just as great too. This particular novel i took much pleasure and enjoyment from reading hence i was unable to put it down, as i was l...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Maggie Desmond-O'Brien rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If I had to name a children's/teen's author of the past twenty years most likely to be remembered over the next few centuries, it would have to be J.K. Rowling - it's hard to ignore an author that rewrites an entire culture. If we're talking runners-up, though, it's Philip Pullman hands down. Not only did he write one of the most exquisitely crafted and original fantasy trilogies ever in Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, he also has written exquisitely...more If I had to name a children's/teen's author of the past twenty years most likely to be remembered over the next few centuries, it would have to be J.K. Rowling - it's hard to ignore an author that rewrites an entire culture. If we're talking runners-up, though, it's Philip Pullman hands down. Not only did he write one of the most exquisitely crafted and original fantasy trilogies ever in Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass, he also has written exquisitely crafted and original novels pretty much everywhere else. Don't believe me? Check out his Wikipedia bibliography. Despite the incredible variety of his work, from modern-day fairy tales to plays to comics to a kids' activity book titled Using the Oxford Junior Dictionary, he's special in that he never loses his quirky, playful, and eloquent voice - though perhaps it was strained in that last title.

Actually, why don't I quit the uber-reviewer jargon and justification and cut to the chase: I am a proud Philip Pullman fangrrl. I'm working on the T-shirts.

That's why I'm kind of astonished that I made it through this many years of fandom (eight and counting) without picking up his second most well known series, the Sally Lockhart trilogy - of which The Ruby in the Smoke is the first installment. Unlike 95.1% of the time (very scientific statistic there), I didn't have the excuse that I was broke and couldn't get a copy, because my parents were nice enough to stick it in my Santa stocking the Christmas I was nine years old. I seriously have no idea how a book by an author I love manages to kick around my bookshelves for almost seven years without being read or lost or both, but this one managed it, and in hindsight maybe that's not terrible. While this book wasn't quite on par with Lyra and Will and company, I still have a whole new set of characters to fall in love with.

First of all, Sally is a bad@$$ - capable, smart, and no-nonsense - but she's also not perfect. She gets in over her head, is bossy, definitely not great with kids, and sometimes she gets downright freaked - just like a real sixteen-year-old. (A side note for fellow Doctor Who fans, Billie Piper got the role in a 2007 TV movie adaptation.) Rosa and Frederick are delightfully boho-ditzy-artist types, while the ensemble is sinister and entertaining by turns. The setting of grimy, pea-soup-foggy London is so vivid it's almost a character in and of itself, full of opium dens and seedy alleyways and big-eyed orphans. If you're not already a convert to the steampunk/Victorian scene it might make for heavy going, but for addicts like me it's a heady thing.

The thing I loved the most about it is the sensation that not one word is wasted - it's a short, small read, perfect purse-size. Pullman is a master at sucking you in without draining you, something I'm only truly starting to appreciate three weeks into spring semester. After school and homework I'm exhausted and cranky, and all I want is a book that will entertain me and distract me from that hideously difficult Comp II assignment that's due tomorrow, while also being well-written enough that the literary snob in me doesn't fall into a saccharine coma. The Ruby in the Smoke fits that bill perfectly, and I can't wait to pick up the sequels. Philip Pullman, you're still my hero! (less)

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Jul 20, 2011 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hf-victorian-1837-1901, historical-mystery, read-in-2011, ya

I listened to my first audio book recently 'The Agency: A Spy in the House' by Y.S. Lee, which I enjoyed. A friend recommended 'The Ruby in the Smoke' by Philip Pullman, she said there were some similarities between the two stories and she thought I would enjoy Pullman's book as well.

'The Ruby in the Smoke' was more a more sophisticated story with better developed characters. Opium use and addiction factor into the story and there are several murders and scenes with violence which might frighte...more

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May 06, 2011 Faye rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This first book of this series has a lot going for it: a suspenseful writing style; rich vocabulary; a tight, yet exciting plot line; good research; a critically acclaimed author, but about halfway through, I had to ask myself, "Why is it that I just don't seem to like it?"

Then I remembered the terms "Mary Sue" and "Gary Stu." That's it! We've got a female lead that:

- has tragically lost both parents
- runs away from a wickedly mean (for no reason) aunt
- has lovely golden hair and good looks
- i...more This first book of this series has a lot going for it: a suspenseful writing style; rich vocabulary; a tight, yet exciting plot line; good research; a critically acclaimed author, but about halfway through, I had to ask myself, "Why is it that I just don't seem to like it?"

Then I remembered the terms "Mary Sue" and "Gary Stu." That's it! We've got a female lead that:

- has tragically lost both parents
- runs away from a wickedly mean (for no reason) aunt
- has lovely golden hair and good looks
- is gentle, kind and goodhearted in all ways
- is smart and brave
- does not succumb to greed

Sally's only fault is that unlike other girls of her time, she is knowledgeable about finance and firearms. The author actually explicitly states that she is more like of a girl of modern times and thereby writes off this fault and further perfects her. Of course, the firearms bit comes in handy later on.

And then there is the boy, Frederick. Cheerful, artsy, daring, chivalrous, undyingly loyal, and (spoiler) clever enough to find the mysterious ruby's location without breaking a sweat, enlisting help, or even mentioning it. Oh yeah, and not testosterone-fueled in any way, but just skilled enough to take on the bad guys when necessary. On top of that, he has a lovely sister and spare room with which he can come to Sally's aid with. His only fault? Well, he's not so good with the business side of the photography studio and he is only too relieved when Sally can put her only "weakness" to use righting the books.

More of the problem: Sally meets Frederick in the street and one day, when Sally is evading a villain and Frederick unquestioning, provides shelter. About 2 weeks later, after Sally has moved in, she asks him to help her buy some opium (for a virtuous reason we won't go into here.) He helps her. When she accidently inhales some at the opium den, and trips out, the den mother, who Frederick has some history with, is adamant that this is not the first time Sally has been under the influence. Frederick is totally unquestioning and faithful to Sally and the story moves on. I'm sorry - you meet someone in the street, let them move in, help them buy opium, get it on good authority that they are a prior user, and everything with this is fine? Your faith and admiration not only unshaken, but not even considered?

Well, I don't think I'll be reading the rest of the trilogy. However, I can say that this book has helped me better understand the difference between children's books (YA?) and adult fiction. That being said, though, there is a lot of descriptive opium use in here for a kid's book!
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Aug 12, 2010 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, mystery, ya, historical-fiction, own, la-la-loved

Sally Lockhart wasn't an entirely new character to me when I first decided to sit down with The Ruby in the Smoke . My mom had recommended I give them a go a few years back and then Angie did a Retro Friday post on their awesomeness and so, consequently I've had them in the back of my mind ever since. Now I'm not really a dedicated mystery reader, but after finishing Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy earlier this year, I found myself stunned with his storytelling ability and curious ab...more Sally Lockhart wasn't an entirely new character to me when I first decided to sit down with The Ruby in the Smoke . My mom had recommended I give them a go a few years back and then Angie did a Retro Friday post on their awesomeness and so, consequently I've had them in the back of my mind ever since. Now I'm not really a dedicated mystery reader, but after finishing Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy earlier this year, I found myself stunned with his storytelling ability and curious about his other novels. What I found in this first Sally Lockhart mystery was a entirely unexpected yet happy surprise. With what has to be one of the best opening paragraphs I've ever read, I became immediately invested in the struggles of one friendless sixteen year old girl trying to solve the mystery of her father's murder.

Sally Lockhart wasn't raised like your typical Victorian England lady. She likes to read books, review military tactics, and happens to be a crack shot. So when Sally is told that her father has been killed while sailing home from China, Sally isn't content to simply mourn her beloved father while others decide her fate. This unusually intelligent sixteen year-old decides to track down her father's murderer on her own - no matter that she is female, alone, and penniless. Along the way, Sally receives help from the resourceful errand-boy Jim Thorpe (who likes nothing better than to trade insults or sit down with a penny dreadful) and a quick-witted young photographer named Frederick Garland. Support that goes a long way in helping Sally face murderous secrets, horribly nefarious landladies, opium dens, and even one fist-sized ruby.

The Ruby in the Smoke is an atmospheric, dark mystery with engaging characters where things tend to go horribly wrong - always a good thing in my opinion. I admire Philip Pullman for putting his characters in no-win situations where they are forced to make a hard choice, followed by a more difficult one. Sally may not be accomplished enough for the drawing room but her talents are many. Most refreshingly, her difficulty in remaining an independent woman in Victorian England is never made light of - in fact it's one of the major obstacles Sally has to overcome. And although I enjoyed Pullman's His Dark Materials books, the Sally Lockhart Mysteries are my new personal favorite and ones I'm glad to have finally discovered.

As a side note, has anyone watched the PBS Masterpiece adaptations to this series? I haven't heard much about them but I'm curious. (less)

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Jun 02, 2010 Wendolinne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just finished reading the book The Ruby in the Smoke, by Philip Pullman. This book is about a young girl named Sally, whose father just died. He died on ship, well, that's what everybody thought. The truth is, he was murdered, then the ship was sunken. Sally received a mysterious letter, and that made her want to find out how her father died, and why. Throughout the book, she finds clues, and ends up trying to find out what the seven blessings means and what is this woman looking for and how...more I just finished reading the book The Ruby in the Smoke, by Philip Pullman. This book is about a young girl named Sally, whose father just died. He died on ship, well, that's what everybody thought. The truth is, he was murdered, then the ship was sunken. Sally received a mysterious letter, and that made her want to find out how her father died, and why. Throughout the book, she finds clues, and ends up trying to find out what the seven blessings means and what is this woman looking for and how she has to do with a hidden treasure.
This book is just one of the many mysteries, written by Philip Pullman. This book made me wonder, why do people do what they do? Do they have a major reason? What would be the major reason for somebody to do what they do?
Well, i think that one of the reasons why people do things is because they are told to do so. For example, at an office, or anywhere else, when somebody is told to do something, they usually do it. Like, if your boss tells you to do something, you will do it. You will do it to not get fired, or to please the boss. For example, in the story, Mrs. Holland has many assistants/ helpers who do the dirty work for her. Mrs. Holland is an old woman who is trying to get her hands on the hidden treasure that Sally's father left for Sally. Mrs. Holland has her ways of getting what she wants. In this case, her partners/ assistants do their job either for the money she promises them, or to stay alive, or in some cases, to not end up in jail for a crime they didn't commit.
If you had to chose between life, which would mean you would have to kill somebody, and death, meaning, you wouldn't kill anyone, what would you chose? In my opinion, i would chose to live, but i wouldn't be able to live with myself if i killed somebody, so i guess i would end up dead anyways. I guess what im trying to say is that, if i really had no other choice, i would rather live, and do the dirty job. On the other hand, there are people who would rather die. I would understand why.
Its part of life. you always have to make choices in life. I think the major reason for you to do something is because you feel its the right thing to do or like, it is necessary for you to do. If it is really important, then you would decide to do that one thing that will help you out or be the right answer.
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Apr 09, 2010 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sally Lockhart is orphaned at 16, and is sent to live with her father’s second cousin, who resents the intrusion.

She receives a mysterious note in the post, warning her that her life is in danger, and telling to contact a man called Marchbanks, who will help her. It also contains the warning “beware of the seven blessings.”

With help from a lad called Jim at the shipping agents that her father worked for, Sally tries to solve the puzzle, whilst other people are plotting to kill her.

She goes to vi...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Cindy Hudson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fans of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series will find Ruby in the Smoke very different, but in many ways just as pleasurable to read. It opens with sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart visiting her deceased father's shipping firm and accidentally causing one of his associates to die of a heart-attack when she ask him if he knows of the Seven Blessings. The phrase was on a piece of paper dictated by her father before his death and sent to her in secret.

Fearing that her life is in danger, Sally...more

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Dec 19, 2009 Historical Tapestry rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, alex-reviews

This is the story of 16 year old orphan, Sally Lockhart. After her father sudden death, she receives a strange message... Decided to unveiled the mystery, the young woman starts an adventure who will change her life.

One of my problems with this book, is the main character – Sally. Many of her decisions and attitudes are not what we expect for a young woman of the late 19th century and she really felt terribly fake to me. Also, Sally is too perfect! No matter what, she always seems to find effort...more

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Nov 19, 2009 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first of Philip Pullman's lesser known trilogy, the Sally Lockhart Mysteries. This is a series that my teenage self would have been thoroughly captivated by, had I know about it at the time. As it is I love a good mystery, especially one with great atmosphere like this one set in the 19th century in the dark and grimey streets of London. Sally Lockhart is a 16 year old girl, orphaned and looking for answers to her father's mysterious death overseas. I was hooked from the 1st paragrap...more

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Oct 23, 2009 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: good-uns, nostalgireads, girls-who-do-things, ya

I remember buying my copy of THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE at a B. Dalton bookstore in San Antonio, Texas. I liked the cover with the young girl in the cape holding something mysterious in a white handkerchief for a slightly creepy old woman to inspect. But, in the end, this was yet another example of a book I bought for the opening lines alone.

On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart and Selby, Shipping Agents, in the financial heart of L

...more I remember buying my copy of THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE at a B. Dalton bookstore in San Antonio, Texas. I liked the cover with the young girl in the cape holding something mysterious in a white handkerchief for a slightly creepy old woman to inspect. But, in the end, this was yet another example of a book I bought for the opening lines alone.

On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart and Selby, Shipping Agents, in the financial heart of London, and a young girl got out and paid the driver.
She was a person of sixteen or so--alone, and uncommonly pretty. She was slender and pale, and dressed in mourning, with a black bonnet under which she tucked back a straying twist of blond hair that the wind had teased loose. She had unusually dark brown eyes for one so fair. Her name was Sally Lockhart; and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man.

Yeah, there was sort of no way my 12-year-old self wasn't going to make a beeline to the cash register with that one. All I knew was that it was set in Victorian London, it was a mystery, and it clearly featured a girl I wanted to get to know better. I had no idea it was the first in a trilogy, or how involved I would become in the incredibly intricate plot that stretches out over all three books. It should be noted that Pullman published a fourth volume almost ten years after THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE, but it is less of a direct sequel and more a companion novel to the original trilogy.

Sally Lockhart is so very far from your average 16-year-old. Even your average 16-year-old in 19th century London. Her father has recently been murdered and she is intent on uncovering the identity of his killer and bringing the villain to justice. As such, she comes to his offices in London to meet with his partner and find out if he knows anything about Mr. Lockhart's demise or the phrase, "Beware the seven blessings," which she came across in a fragment of a letter sent to her from Singapore. Shortly after her arrival she becomes embroiled in another murder, the vagaries of the opium trade, and the mystery of the disappearance of the fabled Ruby of Agrapur. Along the way she encounters a few associates who become true friends, including a young scarecrow of an errand boy named Jim Taylor and an amiable photographer by the name of Frederick Garland. She will have need of her friends before the game is played out and she races against the clock to make sense of her convoluted past and discover just who is behind the strange web of betrayal and deceit that has taken over her life.

Everyone is familiar with Philip Pullman's much more famous His Dark Materials trilogy. I snatched up the first book when it came out because I was already a huge Pullman fan because of the Sally Lockhart books. And I enjoyed The Golden Compass just fine. But I got halfway through The Subtle Knife and the whole thing just...petered out for me. I'm still not exactly sure what happened except that I kept wishing the entire time I was reading about Sally instead. But in my experience few people have read this set of excellent mysteries. They are dark, dire, and grim, to be sure. But they are also absolutely delightful. And bite-your-nails-to-the-quick intense. Sally herself is such a strong character--a perfect blend of independence, diffidence, integrity, and intelligence. Following her growth and development over the course of the trilogy is an absolutely moving experience. Each book matures in both subject matter and length. THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE reads like Dickens meets Arthur Conan Doyle meets Lloyd Alexander and that combination proved too charming for me to resist. I could not put it down until I finished it and I immediately went out and bought the next two books. They did not disappoint, but rather ratcheted up the stakes with each passing page. Pullman somehow manages to create the atmosphere of a vintage penny dreadful, while peopling it with fully fleshed out characters who work their way seamlessly into the reader's heart and affections. In fact, I vividly remember breaking down sobbing while reading a certain scene in the second book--The Shadow in the North. It is one of my very first memories of connecting with a set of characters so much it was physically painful to me to watch them suffer. An engrossing series highly recommended, particularly for fans of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy and Laurie R. King's Mary Russell series.
Reading order: THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE, The Shadow in the North, and The Tiger in the Well. Companion novel: The Tin Princess.(less)

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Jul 07, 2009 Mary Z rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The blurb on the back said I wouldn't be able to put this book down. I didn't believe it.

Sure, I've read the His Dark Materials trilogy, and I love I Was A Rat, but I've always shied away from the Sally Lockhart books because they looked, well, boring. I know, I know, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in this case I was also judging by its setting (Victorian? England) and lack of fantasy.

What finally convinced me to give the book a shot was actually the Doctor. Yes, Matt Smith, the 11th...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Glimmerfee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Im London des Jahres 1872 erhält die sechzehnjährige Sally Lockhardt nach dem tragischen Tod ihres Vaters einen Brief übermittelt. Ohne es zu Wissen bringt sie sich mit ihren Nachforschungen in aller größte Gefahr und sticht mit ihren Fragen in ein Wespennest.

Dieser Krimi für Jugendliche dürfte Erwachsene gleichermaßen begeistern. Sally ist ein cleveres Mädchen, das von ihrem Vater eher wie ein Junge als wie ein Mädchen erzogen wurde. Sie kann gut mit ihrer Pistole umgehen und militärische Strat...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Colosbian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-fiction

I'm not sure I would recommend this book. Don't get me wrong, it was a quick read, and was fairly well written, but there were numerous plot issues that I find it hard to simply put aside.
First, I must agree with LorCon theLibrarian in her assessment that the girl depicted in this book isn't the best role model (see her post for a few thoughts on that). She not only seeks to buy opium for someone else, but she actually takes it herself. She also makes a number of other questionable choices. It...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Katrina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Quite honestly I am not sure what to make of this book. I didn’t completely adore it but I didn’t hate it either. I have read Philip Pullman books before in the form of the Northern Lights trilogy but I don’t think I really let that colour my opinion of the first Sally Lockhart book.

I found this book somewhat difficult to get in to. It seemed to be pretty slow in it’s pacing and at times was almost dragging along. I found myself looking at the page numbers and wondering how I had only advanced...more Quite honestly I am not sure what to make of this book. I didn’t completely adore it but I didn’t hate it either. I have read Philip Pullman books before in the form of the Northern Lights trilogy but I don’t think I really let that colour my opinion of the first Sally Lockhart book.

I found this book somewhat difficult to get in to. It seemed to be pretty slow in it’s pacing and at times was almost dragging along. I found myself looking at the page numbers and wondering how I had only advanced maybe 1 or 2 even though it seemed to be many more. That said the last couple of chapters really picked up and I found myself getting more drawn in to the story.

I didn’t really find the characters to be that easy to relate to. I quite liked Adelaide – the young girl – and Jim. The scenes following Adelaide being taken off by Mrs Holland were some of the most interesting to me. I found myself desperately wanting Adelaide to be able to go back with them and to be ok. I hope that Adelaide’s story is not forgotten in the three later books in the series.

I did like that Sally was perhaps an unconventional female from the time period that the book is set in. Her talents in some areas such as bookkeeping and shooting but her lack of skill in things such as literature make her different from the females that do little more than look pretty and faint but it doesn’t exactly make her interesting either. I suppose I was just waiting for her to do something. Maybe part of me was expecting her to be another Lyra from the Northern Lights.

I wasn’t overly surprised by the revelation that Matthew Lockhart was not Sally’s biological father. This was something that I sensed very early in the book and it was just a waiting game for it to be revealed really. I was a little surprised by who her biological father was – I had been expecting it to be the maharajah.

I feel almost a little disappointed that I was not left shocked by the book. Everything seemed laid out from the beginning and it was just a case of waiting for things to unfold in an almost ‘by numbers’ scenario.

I have the remaining books in the series waiting for me to read but there is something about the Ruby in the Smoke that is not exactly making me rush to read them. I will do eventually because I don’t like having books I have bought lying forever unread but their position on the book pile is creeping lower down. Maybe if the second one is more enthralling the others will move up.(less)

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May 11, 2013 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So last time I read Pullman I got super bored. And then I got super angry.
This went much better. But I'm still not sold on Pullman.
Here are some thoughts (largely spoiler free).
Pullman's prose is lovely. His vocabulary is diverse, his images are captivating, and his descriptions are amazing. Also, his general plot outlines are pretty amazing.
However, most of his characters are less than stellar, and his execution of his plots is usually very frustrating. I will say, however, that this time arou...more So last time I read Pullman I got super bored. And then I got super angry.
This went much better. But I'm still not sold on Pullman.
Here are some thoughts (largely spoiler free).
Pullman's prose is lovely. His vocabulary is diverse, his images are captivating, and his descriptions are amazing. Also, his general plot outlines are pretty amazing.
However, most of his characters are less than stellar, and his execution of his plots is usually very frustrating. I will say, however, that this time around he actually has some pretty wonderful characters. Maybe he got to wound up in the religion stuff in His Dark Materials and forgot to fill out his characters or something, but this book had some really lovely people. Sally felt very much like a young girl being written by a man, but she was still so much better than Lyra.
His villains though. Awful. At one point in the book someone thinks "Why is everyone so afraid of this woman," and I was like "... yes. Why?" I never really felt like that was answered. Sure, she had dirt on everyone, but that could have easily been taken care of. Especially because her brute who protected her didn't come in until half way through. And that was really more comical than it should have been. Mr. Berry is like the king of all non-characters, a huge man with the mind of a child, who cowers before an old woman. You could easily replace this character with a monkey. A big monkey. An orangutan.
As for his plot, there were a couple of "well that was convenient" moments. I did really enjoy the book, but sometimes I found myself thinking "really?" However, I did really like that little details that seemed unimportant in the beginning were interwoven later. It was actually fairly well done.
SPOILER:
I was so annoyed with the opium thing. It was awfully convenient that the drug brought back a memory that, when she breathed in the smoke, told her everything she needed to know as it happened to her when she was a baby. I don't know a lot about opium, but a quick google search tells me it actually causes memory LOSS, not restoration. The whole thing was so ridiculous and contrived, and then we didn't even get the memory. We end up having to follow Sally around for a bit, not knowing what she knows, until it's all told in the end and we still don't know exactly which bits Sally knew. All of a sudden Sally reveals this crazy plot-twist and it's like wtf? How on earth could a memory from her infancy have told her that? Where is she getting this information? I would like to know exactly how that memory went that she was able to conclude this fact.
Also, this is where Sally falls a little flat; her experience with the drug should maybe produce more than just knowledge of her infancy. Especially when she discovers his father basically thought the stuff was the work of the devil. Some remorse? Guilt? Fear? Desire? Nothing? While she is a great deal more complex than Lyra, she is still a step removed from being "real."
So all in all, it's a good book. Better than Pullman's other stuff that I have read. I would actually like to read more of these. I still have some issues, but when do I not. (less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Alice Radwell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, mystery

This is an enjoyable, quick read; 200 pages of large print, with a simple, yet profound style, and a fluid story. Avid readers could probably top this in one sitting, and it wouldn’t be a bad way to spend a couple of hours, either. The mystery is interesting, the characters are fun, and the Victorian environment is well-crafted. Pullman’s standard writing prowess, highlights the darker tones in a way that remains accessible and compatible with the lighter content.

Pullman, as usual, employs excel...more This is an enjoyable, quick read; 200 pages of large print, with a simple, yet profound style, and a fluid story. Avid readers could probably top this in one sitting, and it wouldn’t be a bad way to spend a couple of hours, either. The mystery is interesting, the characters are fun, and the Victorian environment is well-crafted. Pullman’s standard writing prowess, highlights the darker tones in a way that remains accessible and compatible with the lighter content.

Pullman, as usual, employs excellent world building skills to depict a dark, mysterious London. His use of description creates a winding adventure through the city streets, introducing a host of characters well suited to their setting. The female protagonist is decent, sometimes over-played, but strong and weak in the right scenarios. Most of the side-characters are well developed, but there are a few throw-away appearances from one-time characters with little to no steak in the plot. I really enjoyed the villains; they have an Esma and Kronk vibe to them, and they bring a dark comedy to the novel. They’re not the typical antagonist types, and they work well against each-other.

The mystery is over-complicated, rather than complex. As I mentioned before, it involves a lot of characters, who while distinguishable, are only in the story for a scene or two. It takes some attention to keep up with whose where with whom. The climax and subsequent ending are overly-drawn-out, and involves a subplot that could have been easily removed. There are a couple of action scenes which take place off-scene… which is annoying, because in one incidence, it’s obvious this is done to avoid revealing a plot twist too soon. This could have been done with skilful writing, which Pullman is more than capable of. I would’ve liked to have witnessed his attempt. Also, in some incidences, solutions to problems happen very conveniently – characters can suddenly climb walls, for example.

I found this to be a likeable, easy read, good for tired minds before bed. It’s not the epic narrative type Pullman is famous for, but it’s not supposed to be. A good mystery, with a great setting.
(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Simon Aldous rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Philip Pullman is best known for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, but before he wrote those three books, which deal with parallel universes, fantasy creatures and theological issues, he produced the four Sally Lockhart books, gripping Victorian melodramas of which this is the first.

Sally is a self-possessed 16-year old, whose father has recently died in mysterious circumstances. Her efforts to find out what happened to him lead her into a murky underworld, much of it set in east London's dockla...more

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About Philip Pullman

from his official website:

"I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales. I received my secondary education at the excellent Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech, and then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English, though I never learned to read it very well.

"I found my way into the teaching profession at the age of 25, and taught...more

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Books by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, #2)

The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, #3)

His Dark Materials (His Dark Materials #1-3)

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Quotes from The Ruby in the Smoke

“On a cold, fretful afternoon in early October, 1872, a hansom cab drew up outside the offices of Lockhart and Selby, Shipping Agents, in the financial heart of London, and a young girl got out and paid the driver.

She was a person of sixteen or so--alone, and uncommonly pretty. She was slender and pale, and dressed in mourning, with a black bonnet under which she tucked back a straying twist of blond hair that the wind had teased loose. She had unusually dark brown eyes for one so fair. Her name was Sally Lockhart; and within fifteen minutes, she was going to kill a man.” — 7 people liked it

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The Ruby in the Smoke (Sally Lockhart #1)

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