An alternate 1953--or is it? Twenty-something Marion Lane, a lowly bookstore employee, is secretly an apprentice in a very special and clandestine detective agency. Things happen. People die. People have disappeared. In order to save an old family friend who is being blamed for a murder, Marion finds herself exploring the tunnels below London to solve the current mystery, and a batch of old ones. This charming story moves right along at a good clip with both suspense and plenty of action. I couldn't put it down, and hope to see Marion Lane again soon.

This was an utter delight -- a fun mystery, some fun gadget era-Bond type hijinks, characters you can't help but root for, and, despite a lack of magic, a sort of Harry Potter feel to it all. My only regret is I read this so early that it will be ages before 1) I can buy this to share with everyone else and 2) I have so much longer to wait for a sequel. (surely there will be a sequel! There has to be!)