Summary: Set in London, 1790, we meet Cat Royal, a spirited girl who lives in the Royal Theatre. She's also the adopted daughter of the theatre owner, Mr. Sheridan. The story kicks off when Cat stumbles upon a hidden treasure belonging to Mr. Sheridan: a magnificent diamond. Cat makes it her mission to protect this precious gem, embarking on a journey filled with unforeseen challenges.I finally started this series and devoured the first book, The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding! I've been...

What a wonderful book! The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding is a truly captivating historical mystery. Thank you, Lili!

Wow! I did not expect that. The Diamond of Drury Lane surprised me. My friend had recommended this to me a while back, and my idiotic reply was, "You know, I'm good, I've got other books to read." The biggest reason for this answer is because, yes, I judged the book by its cover. I am guilty of doing this so many times and then later slapping myself for not reading those books sooner. *Slap* Okay, now that we've got that out of the way. The main character, Cat Royal, is everything a heroine shou...

In 1790 London, young Cat Royal is the ward of Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the best theatre in all of London. Cat loves the excitement of the theatre and the vibrant people she meets there, especially the former slave boy Pedro, who is now apprenticed to the maestro, and the new prompt, Johnny Smith. Cat accidentally overhears the theatre owner Mr. Sheridan and another man discussing hiding a diamond in the theatre. When she is discovered, Cat promises to keep the diamond safe. She begins to suspe...

I quite liked The Diamond of Drury Lane. My husband snaffled it away from me and read it first, laughing out loud several times. From the moment where Cat compares the theatre company to England, with Mr. Sheridan as the king, and herself as the mail-coach bringing news back and forth, leading Jonathan the prompter to describe himself as the bishop 'because he provides the word to those in need', I knew author Julia Golding wasn't going to be lazy with her writing. So, this engaging historical...

I'll admit it, the cover is what first caught my eye and made me pick this up, but in this case, judging a book by its cover proved to be a good thing, as this is a little gem of a novel. The story follows Cat Royal, an orphan living behind the scenes of London's famous Theatre Royal, and the secrets she uncovers amidst the props and costumes. *The Diamond of Drury Lane* by Julia Golding is not just a fun romp; it also sweeps the reader back to the late Eighteenth Century, from the gritty street...

I read this as a favor to my Mum, who's a teacher. It's intended for 9-12 year olds, and I think it probably suits the lower end of that age range. It definitely reads like a book written with teaching in mind, as there are so many themes you could easily pull out to base lessons or discussions around. In Julia Golding's *The Diamond of Drury Lane*, we meet Cat, an orphan in 18th-century London, raised in a theatre by its owner and staff. As orphans go, she's quite fortunate – despite being exp...

This story is part of a series which includes: 'Cat Among the Pigeons', 'Den of Thieves', 'Cat O'Nine Tails' and 'Black Heart of Jamaica'. An orphaned 12-year-old girl named Catherine 'Cat' Royal lives in the Theatre Royal in late 18th Century London. The theatre's owner, Mr. Sheridan, took her in and named her Cat Royal. She becomes a mascot and a general assistant for the theatre, tidying, acting as a prompt during shows, and more. Cat overhears Mr. Sheridan and a man named Marchmont discussi...

I wouldn't give The Diamond of Drury Lane five stars if I were rating it today. But I can absolutely see why my middle school self adored this book and held Very Strong Opinions about the rest of the series. It's little wonder I grew up to love Georgette Heyer, making this a nostalgic historical fiction review for me!This is the story of a young girl raised in Drury Lane at the Theater Royal, somewhere in the late 1790s/early 1800s. She runs with street gangs, hobnobs with nobility, and generall...

I tried to buy The Diamond of Drury Lane for Harper, but I had trouble finding anyone else who liked it with the same irrational degree of enthusiasm that I did. Thoroughly enjoyable and great fun—Eighteenth-Century Britain! Thieves and dastardly men! Sinister goings-on backstage at a theater! A freed slave coping with defining who he is in a world that is trying to define him as something very narrow indeed! If not quite exceptional, The Diamond of Drury Lane and the other books in its series a...