Though headmistress of a girl's school and well-respected author of approved upper-class "silver-fork" novels, Elizabeth Black is also secretly one Mr. King, an author of penny dreadfuls--lower class serial novels that contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks. Fletcher Walker, formerly a street urchin, was one of the most successful authors in the Penny Dreadful market until Mr. King started taking his readers--and his profits. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the rights of the less fortunate. Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black, as she is well-known among the high-class writers and could potentially help identify Mr. King. Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to protect her secret identity, never envisioning it could lead to an adventure worthy of a penny dreadful. This was delightful--whimsical and humorous, both proper and im-, clean and sweetly romantic.
The characters are clever and intelligent: there's a secret society that's actually good at being kept secret, and a writer under a pseudonym who's capable of protecting her true identity. Both Fletcher and Elizabeth are able to weed out more secrets from each other than anyone else is able to, but they're also clever enough to keep some of their secrets until a reveal of their choosing. They're well matched in both intelligence and kindness, with a heart for children and the under-served.
It isn't a fantasy, but the two penny dreadfuls (which have chapters interspersed throughout the book) both have a touch of the fantastic to them, heightening the fun of this fanciful story as they parallel the main plot.
If you're looking for a whimsical tale to brighten your day, look no further!
The Dread Penny Society
1. The Lady and the Highwayman
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