Introducing an exciting new series steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery follows the feisty heroine, Mary Quinn, as she embarks on a precarious secret assignment.

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan and thief Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners, and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency. At seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady's companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant's home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust—or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, the story evokes the gritty backstreets of Victorian London and debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets—including those of her own past.