Shadow in the North (Sally Lockhart Trilogy, Book 2)

This is the second book in the Sally Lockhart series. I thoroughly enjoyed The Ruby in the Smoke and I though it was good for my daughter to read about a strong heroine. I am all for "girl power" and Sally seemed to be an intelligent young woman. In this book, however, I changed my opinion of it's appropriatness for children. Sally and Fred finally know that they love each other and go discreetly to her bedroom. Next thing we know, she is pregnant. I realize that this happens in real life and in the story, it was very subtle and far from any sort of smut, but I just don't think that it is appropriate reading material for young girls. Can't some things wait? If the story needed to be written this way, it should not have been published and marketed to children.

I read Ruby in the Smoke and was really confused. When my dad brought me Shadow in the North I didn't even want to give it a chance, but I did and soon I couldn't put it down. It was a little confusing but still a great story. The only reason I was about to give it four stars was because the ending was really sad, but I won't say. I have Tiger in the Well and am planning to read it soon.

Although I love mystery books, this was not one of my favorites. To me it seemed like all the whole trilogies end in a manner that is so predictable. When I finished reading this I felt as if I was waiting for the actual plot to start! I also think that this book it a bit inappropriate. When other readers say that Sally falls in love with Fredrick, they really mean LOVE. And I am not talking about kissy, kissy. When Sally and Fredrick are alone one night, they have strip naked SEX! AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN MARRIED! I thought that this book was sending the wrong message about sex before marriage, and would not recommend it to any body of slight interest.

Sally Lockhart, a financial consultant, has just found out that one of her clients lost all the money she invested in a company that went bankrupt. In order to get her money back, Sally decides to investigate who was in charge of the company and why it went bankrupt.
At the same time, Sally's friends Fred and Jim are trying to figure out who is trying to kill a famous magician, Mackinnon. This magician can see images of something that happened by touching an object. He once saw a murder taking place using this talent, but he did not see the murderer of the victim. The person who is trying to kill Mackinnon was the murderer, and he thinks Mackinnon knows everything.
The man who Sally is looking for is the same man who is trying to kill Mackinnon, but they do not realize this until later.
As they are trying to solve these mysteries, Sally realizes that she is in love with Fred, as he had said many times. Jim falls in love with Mackinnon's wife, the daughter of a duke.
I liked this book because it had two mysteries going on at the same time, but in the end they met up and were really just one mystery. This book had mystery, suspense, romance, and tragedy all in one. Sally and Fred realize they love each other but something happens to keep them apart. This is the second book in a trilogy. I read the first one, A Ruby in the Smoke, which I loved, so I thought I would like this one. There is also a third book and another trilogy by the same author, The Golden Compass trilogy, which I also liked a lot. I thought The Shadow in the North was just as good, if not better, as these other books by Philip Pullman.

I found this the best book out of the series. It was unpredictable, sorrowful, hopeful, and just plain KICK... in the end. Go Sally is what I have to say. And you get a good surprise in the end.