Genre: Steampunk
Published by: Carina Press on January 31, 2011
Format: eARC
Pages: 127
Source: NetGalley
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In a time of grand airships and steam-powered cars, the death of a penniless young maid will hardly make the front page. But part-time airship waitress and music hall dancer Julia Bairstow is shattered by her sister's murder. When Lady Law, the most notorious private detective in Britain, offers to investigate the case pro bono, Julia jumps at the chance—even against the advice of Constable Al Grant, who takes her protection surprisingly to heart.
Lady Law puts Scotland Yard to shame. She's apprehended Jack the Ripper and solved countless other cold-case crimes. No one knows how she does it, but it's brought her fortune, renown and even a title. But is she really what she claims to be—a genius at deducting? Or is Al right and she is not be trusted?
Julia is determined to find out the truth, even if it means turning sleuth herself—and turning the tables on Lady Law...
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A delightful Victorian steampunk mystery!
This is a fast paced novella that begins with the mysterious murder of Georgina, a young maid and sister to dancer Julia Bairstow. With no concrete leads from Constable Grant and the police, Julia accepts an offer from the infamous private investigator Lady Harriet Law to take on the case, free of charge. Lady Law’s reputation is impeccable, having solved every case she’s worked on which has also stirred up some controversy concerning her methods. The closer they seem to get to solving her sister’s murder, the more suspicions Julia seems to have about Lady Law. She soon realizes she now has two mysteries to solve, her sisters murder and the mysterious Lady Law.
Julia is an entertaining heroine. She’s smart and not afraid to step into danger to get some answers. Her growing relationship with Constable Grant is innocent yet sweet, a reminder of the Victorian period. I personally would have liked more interaction between both characters but enjoyed the tender romantic moments they shared in the midst of this murder mystery.
The story is more of a novella that unfortunately ends too soon. The ending felt a bit rushed but overall the story moves at a quick pace with plenty of mayhem and mystery to keep the reader guessing. Although the steampunk aspect was minimal throughout the book, the sci-fi twist was quite an unexpected surprise. The Mysterious Lady Law is a delightful read that will entertain and have you playing the detective a la Sherlock Holmes!
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