I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of The Outcast Girls, the second novel to feature Lily Raynor, proprietor of the World’s End Bureau, and her assist Felix Wilbraham.

London 1881. The success of their first case is not converting into cases or money and Lily is worried, then Georgiana Long arrives with a case. She is a teacher at Shardlowes school in the Fens and is worried that three young girls have gone missing from the school in the 18 months she has worked there. Not only that, there is a bad atmosphere in the school and she wants it investigated. Lily goes undercover as assistant matron and Felix conducts his enquiries.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Outcast Girls which has an interesting, if not entirely difficult to discern, plot with action, tension and emotion. Apart from the prelude, which only becomes relevant at the end of the novel, it is told from Lily and Felix’s points of view. I liked this approach as both are tackling the same crime from very different angles with Lily concentrating narrowly on events in the school while Felix roams the length of the country looking for context.

I like the atmosphere in the novel which is tense and dangerous. It adds an extra layer of creepiness to set it in the Fens, an area rife with legends and tales of bad intentions, whether human or supernatural, in the bleakness of winter. The danger to Lily is continually emphasised, initially simply as feelings but later backed up by example.

The plot is well thought out and designed as it gradually builds to a logical conclusion. I liked that the author added a little extra mini plot to this conclusion as it is the one that provides the most satisfaction as the main plot, while providing some resolution, is a touch inconclusive. This is the way of the world.

Lily and Felix continue their very amicable and close working relationship. There are hints that Felix might want more than friendship but I have no idea what Lily thinks.

The Outcast Girls is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is the latest book in the Author's series featuring Lily Raynor, owner of the World's End Investigation Bureau and her employee Felix Wilbraham .

Work is drying up , money has become tight , can Lily find enough work to keep employing Felix ?
It seems like the answer to her prayers when she is approached by schoolteacher Georgiana Long with a
worrying tale of missing pupils at her school , along with former English teacher and the assistant nurse .
Lily decides to investigate and uses her her former occupation as a SWANS nurse to gain a post as a nurse at the school , to see if she can find out what is happening . The bodies of a teacher and a pupil are soon found - are the others dead or alive ? Whilst Lily is in the school trying to discover what is going on there , Felix is travelling all over the country following clues as to the whereabouts of the missing - danger and evil lurks around every corner .

This is another fast paced , historical mystery with a touch of a potential romance by this great Author that I have thoroughly enjoyed - I look forward for further adventures featuring Lily and Felix .
I was given an arc of the book by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review .

#TheOutcastGirls #NetGalley An interesting read from a favorite author- Thanks Severn House and NetGalley.

"Private investigators Lily Raynor and Felix Wilbraham get more than they bargain for when they take on a case in a girls' boarding school, in the latest World's End Bureau Victorian mystery."

I had not read book the first book in series, so I had to get adjusted to the characters and the pace. I became more engrossed as I read and the ending pulled the atmosphere more together for me.

Very much hoping that Lily and Felix get closer in the next outing- it seems to be heading that way!
India seems to be a theme for Lily and the other characters in this one.
Recommended for Alys Clare fans and others.

When girls start going missing at a girls boarding school, a worried teacher recruits the World's End Bureau to solve the case. Taking up a position as a nurse, Lily infiltrates the school and discovers fear among the staff and students. Her associate Felix meanwhile travels the country searching for clues. Can the two of them solve the case before another girl disappears?

With thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC.
Description
Private investigators Lily Raynor and Felix Wilbraham get more than they bargain for when they take on a case in a girls' boarding school, in the latest World's End Bureau Victorian mystery.
London, 1881. Lily Raynor, owner of the World's End Investigation Bureau, is growing increasingly worried. Work is drying up, finances are tight and she cannot find enough for her sole employee, Felix Wilbraham, to do. So when schoolteacher Georgiana Long arrives, with a worrying tale of runaway pupils, it seems like the answer to her prayers. The case is an interesting one, and what could be less perilous than a trip to a girls' boarding school, out in the Fens?
My review.
This is my first novel by Alys Clare and it definitely won't be my last. This is a genuinely atmospheric Victorian mystery. Clare weaves a good tale and the plot builds well into the final reveal. Lily and Felix and the somewhat mysterious Tamaz are well described characters along with the other players in the story. I was able to predict the main elements of the conclusion at about the 3/4 point, that said, I really enjoyed the way Clare pulled it all together with no loose ends. A very enjoyable and satisfying reading experience.

Alys Clare writes a compelling historical mystery. We always buy her for our library. Our patrons love her.

Lily is the proprietress of an investigation agency. Felix is her helper.
They have been approached by an Englis teacher from an all girls school for help. Apparently several girls have gone missing as have the former English teacher and the assistant nurse.
No one seems to know where these individuals have gone or what has become of them. Lily decides to use her former occupation as a SWANS nurse to see if she can find out what is happening at this school. Lily becomes the assistant nurse. As the school is desperate for a nurse since the regular nurse is down with a severe cold, Lily is hired on the spot. Now it is time to nosey around and see where the young girls and two women have mysteriously disappeared to. Felix and Lily will discover that evil lies in odd places.
Great read, Interesting mystery.

A dark historical thriller about a boarding school where girls go missing. Lily and her associate, Felix, of the World's End Bureau ( love the name!), are hired to find out why girls are going missing from the Shardlowes school. Lily, previously a nurse in her unspoken past, goes into the school undercover, while Felix is traveling all over the U.K. & Wales following clues. Danger lurks around every corner.
Well-written and hard to put down, this book is the second in a series. While I have not read the first book, I was able to easily jump into these characters lives.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own. This review can also be found on my Goodreads page.

This is the first novel I read from this author. I loved the historical details interspersed throughout the novel. Characters were fun and entertaining and the plot was well written and fun. I definitely recommend and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Lily and Felix are approached by a teacher from a girls' school, Shardlowes. She tells them about missing girls and wants the Bureau to look into the situation and suggests Lily, who used to be a nurse, applies for a job at the school to find out what's happening. Lily takes her up on the suggestion and travels up to the school, even though she has bad vibes. Felix gets help from his journalist roommate who is a font of knowledge.
One of the missing girls is found dead and so is a teacher. Others are missing, are they dead too?
This second in the series is even better than the first, I loved it.
There is an evil darkness behind the scenes, protected by some powerful people and Lily has to face things she really doesn't want to, but she's determined to help the girls. One of them in particular has a special place in her heart; Marigold has many obstacles in her life, but she's a plucky little thing and I would love to meet her again in the next book. I really want to know how she's doing and maybe she could be a character in the series?
A great read, highly recommended!