The Case of the Girl in Grey

Although somewhat complicated, especially at the beginning, this is a clever tale featuring a young Ada Byron and Mary Godwin, who have set themselves up as the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency.   It’s a good idea to start this book by reading the notes at the back, as they explain the setting (1826) and the concept of the series, which uses fictionalised (younger) versions of celebrated 19^th century women; Lady Ada Byron and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.   Lady Ada was known for her mathematical genius, and worked with Charles Babbage on the early mechanical computer, and Mary Godwin, married to Percy Shelley, wrote the fantasy novel Frankenstein. With a lot of poetic licence the girls are thrown together with many characters from their pasts (including a young Charles Dickens!), and set out to solve a mystery brought to them by the cleverest person in England, Mary Somerville. The plot itself takes its inspiration from the Wilkie Collins novel The Woman in White.  Once the characters are established, the story is pacy, and the combination of brains and bravery help the heroines to unravel the mystery and unmask the villains.  The storytelling is witty and the comical dialogue is fresh and enjoyable. The delightful illustrations from Kelly Murphy set the tone, making the characters appealing and bringing the settings to life. For able readers with an interest in history this book is great fun and it can be discussed at different levels (for example the roles of women, and the advances in science and mathematics in early 19^th century) or simply enjoyed as a rollicking good mystery.