In search of clues towards the mystery of her father’s death, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart ventures in to the shadowy underworld of Victorian London. Pursued by villains at every switch, the intrepid Sally finally uncovers two dark mysteries–and realizes that she herself may be the crucial to both.

“In Dickensian style, Pullman tells the story of 16-year-old Sally Lockhart, who becomes involved in a deadly internet of occasions as she searches for a mysterious ruby. The novel is certainly a page turner, peopled with despicable hags, forthright heroes, and kids living within the underbelly of 19th-century London. The story’s events are exciting, with involved plotting. Settings and characterizations are exquisitely drawn. The first admittance in a planned trilogy.”–(starred) Booklist. Reading level: 6.7.