"Miss Cayley's Adventures" by Grant Allen (1899)

 

 I always have lists on top of the lists and this is why I decided to read "The Wedding People" by Alison Espach, because it was so highly rated and praised on Goodreads - it also fitted with my decision to focus on authors I never read before - alas, dear reader, I did not liked it at all. I did not hated it, but it was not for me and as result of this, it soured me for a while towards reading, which is really pity because exciting reads usually lead to more exciting reads. After "The Wedding People" I simply didn't want to read anything anymore. Instead, I browsed some reference books about literature and recommended novels and this is how I stumbled upon this obscure and forgotten 1899 book, originally serialised in "The Strand" (which explains its chapter-by-chapter story frame) and it was a perfect antidote - it was delightful from the very first page and I loved it with all my heart, in fact I deliberately read it slow to enjoy it more. 

I have never heard of Grant Allen before so he was perfect choice for my "never read before" reading list and apparently this particular novel is actually one of his lesser known works. It is also one of the very first novels with a female detective, thought it must be mentioned that the main character in "Miss Cayley’s Adventures" does not work professionally as a detective - Miss Cayley is simply a example of modern Victorian woman who does not sit still but throws herself into outside world and welcomes adventures. I mean, just check out the very first sentence:

"On the day when I found myself with twopence in my pocket, I naturally made up my mind to go round the world."

This is not your average Victorian blushing flower who spends her time doing needlework and being all vulnerable and fainting, instead Lois Cayley is not only attractive but brave, athletic, strong minded and possessed of a sharp intellect. And this is how we are introduced to her at the beginning of the novel, when she realised her late stepfather left her penniless: she refuses to accept usual fate of impoverished young ladies (teaching) and throws herself in the outside world, actively searching for adventures that will help her to travel around the world. Accidentally (and we must add, somewhat serendipitously) she meet a "Cantankerous Old Lady" (Lady Georgina) who needs a maid to accompany her on her journey to Germany and is soon travelling together with her, accepting the position as a maid just for a week - her thinking is: 

The Rhine leads you on to the Danube, the Danube to the Black Sea, the Black Sea to Asia; and so by way of India, China, and Japan, you reach the Pacific and San Francisco; whence one returns quite easily by New York and the White Star Liners... the Cantankerous Old Lady was the thin end of the wedge -- the first rung of the ladder!"

And this is how the novel really begins, with our plucky heroine traveling to Germany, than Switzerland, Italy, Egypt, India and all over the place, enjoying various adventures along the way, unmasking greedy antagonists and charlatans, using her sharp intellect to point who is really a bad guy and generally being totally awesome. There is a lot of humour, wit and spark all trough the novel, with some interesting points at the racial prejudices at the time. The biggest mystery for me is why this delightful novel is not better known and how is it possible that its completely covered by dust of neglect and obscurity, I honestly wish there is a whole series of novels with Miss Cayley. Loved this one with all my heart!