The Detective's Assistant: Chapters 7–12

by Kate Hannigan
Recently orphaned, eleven-year-old Nell Warne is reluctantly taken in by her Aunt Kate, who is the first-ever female detective employed by the legendary Pinkerton Detective Agency. Nell becomes her aunt's assistant, joining her in several clandestine detective missions, risking her life, and even saving the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapters 19–30, Chapters 31–Epilogue
15 words 32 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ruthless
    without mercy or pity
    How does catching a ruthless man trying to murder his wife sound to you, Nell?
  2. huffy
    roused to anger
    “Fine, don’t tell me what you’re up to,” I said with a huffy breath.
  3. exotic
    characteristic of another place or part of the world
    We had already spent the morning at an auction, where she bought up exotic trinkets to use in her charade as Madam L. L. Lucille.
  4. emporium
    a large shop organized into sections
    The Potter Palmer & Co. emporium did inspire a sense of reverence in me whenever I stepped inside.
  5. guru
    a Hindu or Buddhist religious leader and spiritual teacher
    And just like that, the pretty lady—Mrs. Annie Thayer was her name, I quickly learned—told me the whole tale about how her father received three opal rings from a powerful guru during his sailing days.
  6. nary
    colloquial for 'not a' or 'not one' or 'never a'
    By the time we covered the walls and windows of the Clark Street room with dark fabrics and draperies, nary a ray of sunlight could penetrate inside.
  7. penetrate
    pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
    By the time we covered the walls and windows of the Clark Street room with dark fabrics and draperies, nary a ray of sunlight could penetrate inside.
  8. ornate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
    Light from these ornate lanterns gave the room a hazy yellow glow, and thick, noxious incense filled my nose and stung my eyes.
  9. fez
    a felt cap for a man
    I found a basin of water and slicked back my hair from my face, topping it off with a bright red fez.
  10. stickler
    someone who insists on something
    My aunt was a stickler for staying in character lest we were overheard, even when the only creatures nearby that could possibly do any overhearing were the skeletons at the back of the room and a few stray mice.
  11. zodiac
    a circular diagram representing the 12 constellations
    Finally, Madam Lucille said she was exhausted by all the charting of stars and consulting of the zodiac around the Past.
  12. agog
    highly excited
    I was agog. The fresh-faced blond woman, with cheeks as delicate as a china doll’s, was in cahoots with a killer?
  13. respectable
    conforming to socially acceptable morals or standards
    Keeping track of Good and Evil was exhausting, especially when Evil looked like such a respectable person.
  14. frugal
    avoiding waste
    “I am not cheap,” she declared. “I am frugal. There is a difference.”
  15. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    Feeling a bit smug over my victory, I returned to my rocking chair and pulled the petticoat back onto my lap.
Created on Wed Nov 19 20:41:03 EST 2025 (updated Tue Dec 30 16:53:59 EST 2025)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.