The ruby in the smoke

About “The ruby in the smoke”

"Beware the seven blessings" is a phrase that 16-year-old Sally Lockhart does not understand when she first hears it. When an employee of her late father hears the words, he dies of fear. This event starts Sally on a terrifying journey through the underbelly of Victorian London as she searches for answers about her father's death. She is chased by dangerous men and eventually uncovers two dark secrets: one related to the opium trade and the other to a stolen ruby of great value. Sally learns that she holds the key to both mysteries, and her life depends on finding out why. The story is part of a 1985 novel by Philip Pullman.