Soon after Sally Lockhart's father drowns at sea, she receives a strange 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 mysteryn the dark heart of Victorian London, at the centre of which lies a deadly blood-soaked jewel
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By S. Bailey
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
As seen on TV, but the book is so much better. It's a thrilling chase through the dark back streets of Victorian London, in the best traditions of Conan Doyle, but with Pullman's own very unconventional twists.
Our heroine is Sally Lockhart, and she is certainly not a conventional Victorian. Brought up by her father, she can ride and shoot and speak Hindustani, though her knowledge of French or needlework is sadly lacking. Her father's death has thrown her on the mercies of an unwelcoming relative, and realising that she will never be happy as a lady's companion, Sally takes her meagre inheritance for herself and runs away.
What she runs to, however, is a mystery. People seem strangely anxious to find her. Incomprehensible messages arrive for her, apparently from her dead father. Sally's own nightmares seem to reveal something about her past, but how can she willingly dig deeper into their horror?
Sally is a fantastic heroine, utterly (almost implausibly) unbound by the habits of the society in which she lives. With a bohemian surrounding cast, Jim the messenger boy, Frederick the handsome photographer cum detective and his actress sister Rosa, the terrified Adelaide and reliable Tumbler, Pullman paints a vivid picture that is never less than gripping.
Our heroine is Sally Lockhart, and she is certainly not a conventional Victorian. Brought up by her father, she can ride and shoot and speak Hindustani, though her knowledge of French or needlework is sadly lacking. Her father's death has thrown her on the mercies of an unwelcoming relative, and realising that she will never be happy as a lady's companion, Sally takes her meagre inheritance for herself and runs away.
What she runs to, however, is a mystery. People seem strangely anxious to find her. Incomprehensible messages arrive for her, apparently from her dead father. Sally's own nightmares seem to reveal something about her past, but how can she willingly dig deeper into their horror?
Sally is a fantastic heroine, utterly (almost implausibly) unbound by the habits of the society in which she lives. With a bohemian surrounding cast, Jim the messenger boy, Frederick the handsome photographer cum detective and his actress sister Rosa, the terrified Adelaide and reliable Tumbler, Pullman paints a vivid picture that is never less than gripping.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By "r_skaar"
Format:Paperback
Phillip Pullman is the one and only author I know, who manages to be true to the ideals of the period he describes (the 1860s) and interesting to readers today at the same time!
The Sally Lockhart-books, sett in the 1860's and 70's, feature tragedy and romance in true Victorian style. But Sally herself is not typically Victorian. A good English girl of the 1860's was supposed to play the piano, do needle point and polite conversation. Sally rides horses, shoot, and does calculus and financial consulting!
In this first Sally Lockhart book, Sally arrives in England, after spending her childhood in India. But when she hears that her father has died in a shipwreck, she knows her life will never be the same again. The novel features more villains and more dangerous criminals than any Victorian penny-dreadfull!
History itself does not give a good novel. But this novel is great. And I reccomend it to any reader older than 12, and younger than their grandparents.
45 of 47 people found the following review helpful
By Mikal
Format:Paperback
I read this on the back of reading the Dark Materials trilogy and after them I thought there could be no better, especially not the ruby in the smoke. Yet from the first page to the last I was completely wrong.
The new cast of characters are interesting, the fact that it is rather more realistic (apart from Will's world) than the his dark materials trilogy makes it all the better.The plot always makes a twist which you don't expect, many are unhappy but that what makes the book what it is. Its those qualities which means you cant put it down and that your constantly on the edge of your seat.
It's by far the best Pullman book I've read (i've yet to read the other three Sally Lockhart books) and it provides a good introduction to all the characters. Move over Harry Potter, Sally Lockhart's in town.
The new cast of characters are interesting, the fact that it is rather more realistic (apart from Will's world) than the his dark materials trilogy makes it all the better.The plot always makes a twist which you don't expect, many are unhappy but that what makes the book what it is. Its those qualities which means you cant put it down and that your constantly on the edge of your seat.
It's by far the best Pullman book I've read (i've yet to read the other three Sally Lockhart books) and it provides a good introduction to all the characters. Move over Harry Potter, Sally Lockhart's in town.
43 of 45 people found the following review helpful
By Andy Dingley
Format:Paperback
Like many readers, I first encountered Philip Pullman through the Dark Materials trilogy. Enjoying those, I went on to read some of his older books too - and I wasn't disappointed!
The Ruby In The Smoke is set in the word of Victorian penny-dreadfuls, Sax Rohmer's world of opium dens and the evil Dr Fu Manchu. Heroes are square-jawed and clean-living, villians are evil twisted crones. Everything is as it should be, and the sun never sets on the British Empire.
It's not a complex book - simple virtues of honesty and loyalty to one's friends are rewarded. In the end, good triumphs over evil - but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the evil An Lin...
4 1/2 stars, because it's not in the superlative category of The Subtle Knife, but it's still a rollicking good read.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio Cassette
This book is extremely well written, as most of Pullman's books are. As it is the beggining of a series, you can carry on reading these extraordinary books. It has adventure, murder, poverty, illness and drugs. I would say it is for ages 9 and over. The Others in the series are Shadow of the North, Tiger in the Well and The Tin Princess. Similar to these books are Northen Lights, the Subtle Knife and the Amber Spyglass
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By purplepadma
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
The Sally Lockhart books may not be quite as 'literary' as the His Dark Materials trilogy, but they are cracking good reads! If, like me, you are a sucker for the seamier side of Victorian London, you will love the menacing atmosphere of gaslit Bloomsbury and dark and dangerous docklands. The plot is complex and gripping - I would have preferred to read this at one sitting, but being an honest sort, I took it to work and read snatches in my breaks, rather than taking a sickie. What I really love about Pullman is that he is not afraid to place his child characters in 'unsuitable' situations; they fall in love, see drug use, kill in self defence, and generally behave like real people instead of conforming to the saccharine stereotype which used to enrage me as a child.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:School & Library Binding
After reading the His Dark Materials trilogy and thouroughly enjoying it, I decided to check out some more of Philip Pullman's books. I found the Ruby in the Smoke in my local bookshop and decided to give it a go. I thought that the characters were really interesting and loved the way that so many different people from different backgrounds all ended up in the one house in Burton Street. Pullman's "baddies" always have a decent reason for their wrong doings, and we always get to know why they did what they did, or why they're doing what they're doing! I would advise anybody who likes Pullman's work to go out and buy this book, and anybody who's new to it to go out and do the same. But beware one thing, there are books that follow on from The Ruby In The Smoke, and you may never work out the correct order! But overall, an excellent read!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great Victorian melodrama
A good well written Victorian murder mystery in the venerable tradition of Arthur Conan Doyle and Willie Collins. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jo Bennie
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ruby In the Smoke
this was fanyastic. My children enjoyed this so much. The quality was very good aswell. However the pages were slightly bend a little(from the top of the pages ) but my children... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Farida
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too many characters - too little interest....
This starts off with some promise - an atmospheric Victorian London of sorts but pretty soon, you are being introduced to all sorts of characters and it's difficult to keep up with... Read more
Published 2 months ago by LORD BEAU
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ruby in the Smoke
I enjoyed the TV version of "Ruby in the Smoke" and was pleased the book was as satisfactory. I shall endeavor to obtain
Philip Pullmans' other books in this series.
Philip Pullmans' other books in this series.
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. Barbara Deakin
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a great book
The story line is good but Philip Pullman is supposed to writing for an age group who won't really understand much of what he says.
Published 6 months ago by C. Lintern
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Reading of The Book by Anton Lesser.
This is a review for the audio version of the book read by Anton Lesser.
This is a wonderful book. Read more
This is a wonderful book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. Glenn Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Word- Wonderful.
This is a review for the audio version of the book read by Anton Lesser.
This is a wonderful book. Read more
This is a wonderful book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mr. Glenn Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first book of another brilliant series by Pullman
I chose to read this series by the great writer Philip Pullman after reading the brilliant 'dark chronicles', I found him to be such a good story teller that I wanted to read more... Read more
Published 10 months ago by lisababy
1.0 out of 5 stars
Why did I listen to my best friend?
This book is so boring and so predictable I regret buying it after my friend's suggestion. I actually bought all the books of the series. I feel so demotivated reading the rest. Read more
Published 11 months ago by nemesis
4.0 out of 5 stars
A terrific adventure!
This is the first Sally Lockhart story that I have read, and it probably won't be the last.
In the beginning, it was difficult for me to believe in the strength and... Read more
In the beginning, it was difficult for me to believe in the strength and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lance Mitchell
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