The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

Title: The Traitor in The Tunnel
Author: Y.S. Lee
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Source: Bought
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Summary: Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose.

Review: In The Traitor in The Tunnel we see Mary undercover as a spy in Buckingham Palace investing a recent string of thefts that are quite petty in nature. 

First of all, I just want to say how much a absolutely adore this series. I love the characters, the writing and the historical aspect. Plus, it's not just historical it's historical with mystery fiction! :) 

Mary, the main character, has such a strong exterior. In The Traitor in the Tunnel we really get to see Mary's vulnerable side. And when you do it's when you really start to realize why you love her so much as a character. Mary is a wonderful character, you can literally tell that Y.S. Lee put a lot of time into making her complex and lovable. 

The mystery in this one doesn't have as high of stakes as the other ones did. It does get exciting and it's never boring. I felt this book was more for Mary to really embrace who she was and how she felt about the others around her. The mystery in this one is still spectacular but it didn't quite have that whodunit factor that I've experienced in the previous two in the series. 

I love the writing and the setting in this book more then anything I've read in awhile. Lee has this certain style that manages to stay beautiful but she gets so many laughs out of me! You wouldn't think there was a lot of things to be funny about in Victorian London but there's always something to smile about during the book. I also love how London is portrayed, it just feels like I'm there solving the mysteries with Mary! 

I've been saving the best for last. James Easton-an engineer who Mary met on her first assignment. James and Mary's banter is one of the main reason for the humor in these books. The banter is done SO well. I just love, love James. He and Mary make the perfect little bickering couple, because they like to go back and forth with each other a lot. It's more than enjoyable, it's heaven reading about them. The ending of this one melted my heart so much. 

The Traitor in the Tunnel would be a fantastic conclusion to this series, but thankfully there's still one more book, and I couldn't have asked for more. I need some more mystery, London and, of course, Mary and James. 

Rating: Way more then 5 stars!