The Ruby in the Smoke

Philip Pullman
BBC

In search of clues to the mystery of her father's death, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart ventures into the shadowy underworld of Victorian London. Pursued by villains at every turn, the intrepid Sally finally uncovers two dark mysteries--and realises that she herself is the key to both.

I'd been fancying giving these books a go for a while now and so having a bit of walking time ahead of me I grabbed the audio versions.  I started listening to this one whilst walking to the next town at lunchtime and just kept on listening through the rest of the day.

The story concerns the newly orphaned Sally Lockhart and the strange and dangerous events that surround her.She is the subject of numerous plotlines all converging around a ruby once belonging to an Indian maharajah.

As it's a Pullman book you know it's going to be sublimely well crafted.  He writes with such an amazing ability to construct characters and location that the wondrous storylines almost get forgotten until the next one comes along and bites you.

The audiobook was read superbly by one Anton Lesser. The range of voices is astonishing and the changes so fluid that at times you forget it's all the one fella.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.