Philip Pullman

In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.

The Ruby in the Smoke

Soon after Sally Lockhart's father drowns at sea, she receives an anonymous letter. The dire warning it contains makes a man die of fear at her feet. Determined to discover the truth about her father's death, Sally is plunged into a terrifying mystery in the dark heart of Victorian London, at the centre of which lies a deadly blood-soaked jewel. Philip Pullman's ever-popular, action-packed Victorian melodramas are rejacketed for the bicentenary of Charles Dickens in 2012.

I very much enjoyed this story. It is another example of Pullman’s expertise and talent. I am very glad to have been reading this alongside my favourite class. I highly dislike admitting that I feel the smallest bit sorry for Mrs Holland - though she was undeniably evil, she was complex and seemingly twisted by the world before she was twisted by and through her own nature. She almost reminds me of the portrayal of Anne Boleyn in a play I saw recently - if Anne Boleyn had aged further before dying; I think they share similar qualities. I loved the familiar London scenes and themes - the cockney accent is one that is close to home and very much enjoyed.

Lily Cooper

Book One (Sally Lockhard Mysteries)

A Sally Lockhart Mystery: The Ruby In the Smoke

Kali Olson

On a cold afternoon in 1872, sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart walks into her deceased father’s London office. By the time she walks out again, young Sally is deep in a compelling mystery fraught with murder, betrayal, deception, cursed jewels, secrets from the distant past, and a whole crew of Victorian scalawags and villains. There’s more to her father’s death than meets the eye. A horrifyingly creepy old woman is out for Sally’s blood. A mysterious message warns Sally of something called the Seven Blessings. Danger lurks around every corner and Sally herself is the key to unlocking all the intertwining mysteries that threaten her very life. But Sally is nothing if not resourceful, and with a few colorful friends of her own (including Frederick Garland, a charming young photographer), our intrepid heroine sets out to right wrongs and uncover truths. Like many Victorian creations of modern authors, Sally is a very determined young woman with no intention of bowing to the conventions of her day. But Sally is also very much alone in the world, and what she really needs is a few kindred spirits who understand and appreciate her unique qualities. The reader, needless to say, becomes Sally’s ally right away. Author Philip Pullman, best known for the intricate fantasy worlds of His Dark Materials trilogy, knows full well how to create a hero who his readers will follow through thick and thin; he also knows the subtle and masterful art of spinning a good old-fashioned rip-roaring adventure story. As the series continues, Sally continues to build a new life for herself—and solves a whole mess of thrilling, chilling, bump-in-the-night mysteries while she’s at it.

Oana Munteanu

Martha F.

Mandy

Set in 1872, Sally Lockhart is sixteen and determined to discover the secrets behind her father's sudden death, even if it means putting her own life in danger as others try to stop her. As Sally searches for the answers she needs, her quest takes her from the grimy streets of London to a Maharajah's Indian Palace, to the opium dens of China and into a deep mystery whose heart is a priceless jewel soaked in blood.

Kate Lillie

Nora 

Shivani Charu

Florence

Andy

Jacqueline Jordan 

Haley Murray

sheila

The first book in Philip Pullman's classic SALLY LOCKHART quartet in a beautiful new edition to celebrate the 30 year anniversary. Soon after Sally Lockhart's father drowns at sea, she receives an anonymous letter. The dire warning it contains makes a man die of fear at her feet. Determined to discover the truth about her father's death, Sally is plunged into a terrifying mystery in the dark heart of Victorian London, at the centre of which lies a deadly blood-soaked jewel. Philip Pullman's ever-popular, action-packed Victorian melodramas are rejacketed for the bicentenary of Charles Dickens in 2012.

The Ruby in the Smoke

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