The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency follows two young girls in 1826 London who start a secret detective agency. Ada Byron, a mathematics prodigy, and Mary Godwin, a keen observer of human nature, combine their talents to solve mysteries for their clients. The story takes place in an alternate historical timeline where these real historical figures - the future Ada Lovelace and Mary Shelley - meet as children. Their adventures lead them through the streets of London as they decode ciphers, follow clues, and interview suspects while keeping their detective work hidden from their guardians. The novel balances mystery-solving with the social constraints faced by young women in Georgian England. The two protagonists navigate expectations about proper behavior while pursuing their intellectual interests in science, mathematics, and investigation. This middle-grade mystery explores themes of friendship, female education, and the power of combining different types of intelligence to solve problems. The book celebrates the scientific mind while demonstrating the importance of both logic and empathy in understanding human nature.

Readers describe this middle-grade mystery as educational but sometimes confusing. The premise of young Ada Lovelace and Mary Godwin solving crimes together appeals to parents and teachers seeking historical fiction for children. What readers liked: - Strong female protagonists who use logic and science - Integration of real historical figures and facts - Clever dialogue between the main characters - Appeals to both children and adults - Beautiful illustrations What readers disliked: - Historical inaccuracies (the real Ada and Mary never met) - Complex vocabulary challenging for target age group - Plot can be hard to follow - Some find the premise contrived Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) "Perfect for kids who love history and solving puzzles," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads review counters: "The historical liberties taken were too distracting to fully enjoy the story."

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🔍 The book cleverly reimagines history by creating a friendship between Ada Lovelace and Mary Godwin (later Mary Shelley), despite the fact they never met in real life - Ada was born in 1815, the same year Mary eloped with Percy Shelley. 🔬 Ada Lovelace, one of the main characters, is considered the world's first computer programmer, having written instructions for the first algorithm intended to be carried out by a machine. 📚 Author Jordan Stratford was inspired to write the series after running a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $90,000 from supporters who loved the concept of historical figures solving mysteries. ⚡ The book series combines actual historical events and figures with fictional mysteries, introducing young readers to notable women in science and literature through adventure stories. 📖 While the mystery-solving duo are children in the book, the real Mary Godwin wrote her masterpiece "Frankenstein" at age 18, and Ada Lovelace published her groundbreaking mathematical work in her late 20s.