By: Meljean Brook
Publisher: Penguin
Publish Date: August 7, 2012
Format: eARC
Genre: Steampunk, Romance
Series: 1.5 in Iron Seas Series
Recommendation: Yes, so many elements wrapped in this little package; love, steampunk, and mystery. All rolled into one! And you can so read this without reading the first book! Complete story here.
Book Synopsis:
Eight months after The Iron Duke, can their marriage survive a new danger?
When newly-married Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth is called to investigate a bounder's murder, she doesn't expect the mysterious machine she finds...or the danger that leads back to her husband.
First Sentence:
Even after eight months of marriage, Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth couldn't decide whether it was better to let her husband know that she'd been hurt on the job as soon as she returned home, or to wait until the readied for bed, where he'd see the evidence of her injuries for himself.
My Thoughts and Summary:
Rhys is finishing up preparations for a ball next week. Detective Inspector Mina looks forward to an evening with her husband of eight glorious months, although not telling him about the shiny bruise she got at work as he worries. When suddenly she gets called away due to a murder of an associate who wants to reward factories for not completely converting to machines. Things run deeper than expected with this investigation and mystery. Mina learns new things of her new husband, and one thing she may not care much for...
A whole mystery is of its own and Mina and her husband learn a little more about themselves and family, growing a little more in the idea of together. There is difficulty with the journalists based on her personal relationships and her investigations, which makes the case a little tricky too.
I enjoy meeting the characters. Anne - the young girl Mina seems to have "adopted", Scarsdale - Rhy's friend and business partner. Then there's Mina and Rhys. Wow, what a couple!
We get a quick glimpse as to how Mina and Rhys met. We get a strong sense of how much Rhys loves and worries for Mina. And how much Mina loves her husband.
I get the feel there is a long history here. One with the Horde and nanoagents, the use of mechanical augmentation in bodies as well. We see different body parts of iron and mechanical, partly the steampunk, that are useful to the people to make a living. There are hints to Rhys past and sounds of great excitement. We learn of his involvement against the Horde. I will say all the details of happenings make me curious to read it all collectively and slowly in its time as it unravels.
We get views of the story from Mina and Rhys. Both are so in love yet unsure if it'll last, sounds like quickly fell in love and married and maddeningly in love with each other still.
As this novella does come after the first novel, Iron Duke, in the Iron Seas series, it can be read on it's own. The ground work for the world is here and you will get through. The first chapter is heavy with world and character layout. The story is a complete story in itself to enjoy. The second chapter dives right into the murder mystery. I read it before the first novel, understood and enjoyed it being new to the world and characters. You can too!
I read this novella for the author to see if it could stand on it's own without reading books.
