'A contender for the earliest female amateur detective, Hagar is a 'Gypsy Detective', beautiful in a dark Romany way, sensuous and intelligent, who runs a Lambeth pawnshop she inherited from her uncle where she solves crimes brought to her by her customers. She solves her crimes more by common sense than by deduction, but it's a great way to build customer loyalty.'
Source:
Russell James, Great British Fictional Detectives, UK: Remember When, 2009, p.191.