Since finishing the Bloody Jack series, I have gone onto another series efaturing a spunky British redhead brought up from the streets of London, navigating the two worlds between the London slums and high society.

Set in 1790, a whole decade before Bloody Jack, the series is a more a light mystery than the historical seafaring adventures of Jacky. It’s also much more tame as its for the middle-grade crowd but the fiesty and observant nature of the heroines still immediately connect the two in my mind. As well as the fun historical inclusions to the plot.

But let’s focus on Cat. Catherine Royal is her full name, given to her by Mr. Sheridan, owner of the Royal Theatre on Drury Lane. Cat was placed on the steps of the theatre and has lived there ever since as the theatre’s beloved “Cat,” helping with little jobs and messages and what have you. With this theatrical education, she can cartwheel, read, write and act with the best of them. Even so, she is not considered a daughter or beloved family member and knows there will come a day when she’ll be cast out so she tries to integriate herself to be helpful and invaluable. That’s how she’s come to be the protector of a hidden diamond Mr. Sheriden is hiding for his friend.

Well, when you got a rich hidden under people’s noses, there’s bound to be trouble as various parties start to seek them out.

One be the newest player on Drury Lane, Pedro Hawkins. Brought over from the Americas, Pedro is a former slave and virtuoso musician. He’s an entertaining boy and quite a glib tongue, gaining patrons and friends easily but his fatal flaw may be his greed as he hopes to gain enough money to strike out on his own and never be someone else’s slave or apprentice again. He brings a lot of excitment and doubt to Cat’s life, connecting with her in being alone in the world but hurting her with his willingness to get ahead and his cynicism.

Another is Johnny , the new prompter with a past that has led him to be on the run and in need of quick money.

Finally, the dreaded street bully, Billy “Boil” Shepard whose cockney accent hurts less than his razor which he is quick to draw, at turns complimenting Cat and inviting her to join his gang and threatening her with a slit throat if she doesn’t comply with his demands. He adds a necessary addition of suspense as well as flavorful dressing for what the dirty London streets are like. He is contrasted with Cat’s good friend, Syd the Butcher (because he’s a butcher’s son as well as a champion boxer) for honorable and dishonorable street-wise kids.

Speaking of Pedro, he manages to gain the eye of the Duke of Avon’s kids with young Francis beng one of the most fun characters as a young man willing to throw his ducal responsbilities away to play chimney sweep.

Also a charming aspect of the story is how it’s framed like a stage play with Act 1, Act 2, scene 1, scene 2 and features some maps of London so readers to acqauint themselves to the setting.

All come together in a fun romp involving boxing matches, waerhouse dumps, a frantic carriage ride and a balloon appearance on stage as the story keeps its twist as hidden as the diamond unless you have a clever eye and skill for deduction like Cat does.

Oh and fun addition to the play format is that the first few page is entitled The Critics, historical figures giving their occupational-related reviews to Cat’s manuscript such as

“I have made it required reading for every midshipman,”-Admiral Nelson

“Write on, sister.”-MAry Wollstonecraft

“It made me realize what bliss it is to be alive today but to be young is very heaven.”-William Wordsworth

“Electricfying!”-Benjamin Franklin