The Doll Maker (The Viper and the Urchin, #4) by Celine Jeanjean – Review

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5 stars, Adventure, Book Review, Celine Jeanjean, dolls, favorite characters, favorite series, mystery, series, spider, Steampunk

About The Doll Maker by Celine Jeanjean

Revolution in the streets.
A deadly weapon stolen.
A wardrobe too wide to fit up the stairs.
All is most definitely not well back in Damsport…

Cruikshank has created a deadly new weapon, but someone breaks into her workshop, steals the design, and leaves her for dead.

Time for Rory and Longinus to roll up their sleeves again.

But it doesn’t take long for them to be completely out of their depth. They find themselves facing a creepy doll maker, chaos in the streets, and a powerful man seeking to overthrow the Old Girl. In short, another sinister plot seeking to bring Damsport to its knees.

Once again, Rory and Longinus find themselves the city’s last line of defence.

Damsport really needs to invest in better defences.

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Review of The Doll Maker

In The Doll Maker, a serious threat to the rule of the Marchioness of Damsport brings the team together to determine who is behind it all. It seems straightforward at first. A power-hungry noble/politician wants to oust the Old Girl. Can it be that simple? Of course not. You’ll need to read the book to delve into the complexity of the plot. I will say that I was adamant that, in Damsport, the rule of the Marchioness is just fine. These upstart politicians are going to have a thing coming. I hope…..

Each time I read another book in The Viper and the Urchin series, I am fondly reminded of the first time I met Rory and Longinus. These are two of my favorite characters in all of Steampunkdom. Rory, the urchin who wanted to be a great swordswoman and Longinus, the assassin who passes out at the sight of blood. They are the unlikely duo who formed first, a business arrangement and second, an enduring friendship.

Rory and Longinus have grown into their characters beautifully over the series. I love how the friendship has strengthened and expanded to other endearing characters like Pip, Alice, Rafe, Adelma and Cruikshank. But mostly I love Rory and Longinus when they are together.

“No!” Longinus said in tone that brooked no arguments. So of course, Rory argued.

As much as Rory enjoys a good debate, she watches out for Longinus. And Longinus has Rory’s back.

While Rory is now a well-paid employee of the Marchioness, she is always on the lookout for the opportunity to steal. She doesn’t, but she is on the lookout. And Longinus is forever planning out the perfect wardrobe, one that complements him and his surroundings. Some things never change. Another one of the things I love this about this duo.

Enough about my favorite characters. The books is full of other great characters. Poor Cruikshank gets beat up for the second book in a row – totally not fair. Adelma is large and in charge, especially when it comes to protecting her son Tommy. And Rafe does his very capable Varanguard thing. He and Rory may or may not be a couple. This is just about the slowest progressing romance I have been reading about lately. And that is exactly how their romance should be.

There might be a spider, or two, or more.  See the very cool book cover!

The book ends with the promise of another dangerous adventure. I eagerly await its arrival!

Many thanks to the author for providing a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.

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A Deceptive Devotion (Lane Winslow Mystery, #6) by Iona Whishaw – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, Canada, Cold War, Iona Whishaw, mystery, Russia, series, spy, WWII

About A Deceptive Devotion by Iona Whishaw

Wedding bells, a grisly murder, and a defecting Russian spy bring drama to King’s Cove in the newest Lane Winslow mystery.

A wedding is on the horizon for Lane Winslow and Inspector Darling. As one of the few Russian speakers in her community, Lane is obliged to act as translator and hostess for Countess Orlova, an elderly Russian woman who has tracked her missing brother to the Nelson area. Nelson PD investigates, but then the murder of a lone hunter in the hills above King’s Cove takes top priority.

Darling works the case with a Constable Oxley–a newcomer to the area, assigned in Constable Ames’ temporary absence–and a British agent contacts Lane to warn her to be on the lookout for a fleeing Russian defector. Bound by the Wartime Secrets Act, Lane is conflicted about keeping the information from Darling, especially when it begins to put a strain on their relationship.

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Review of A Deceptive Devotion

In A Deceptive Devotion, we get to know a little more about Lane’s spy experience during WWII. Her experience in almost becoming a double agent on the Russian side will explode into a very dangerous situation for the people of King’s Cove. Whishaw artfully throws in some WWII history and Russian culture while breaking down the details of the investigation of the murder of a local hunter.

At the same time, the elderly Countess Orlova shows up looking for her brother, which leads to another investigation.

Is the timing of the murder and the arrival of the Countess a coincidence. What do you think?

Constable Ames, Darling’s very capable sidekick, manages to get a foot into the investigation even as he studies to finish his sergeant’s course in Vancouver. Ames is such an exceptional (and often humorous) counterpart to Darling, he is becoming a favorite character and much more than a sidekick.

I do love this series. Lane Winslow and Inspector Darling make a skilled detective team.  And they’re cute!  I also like the setting in western Canada, giving this American a slightly different perspective on post WWII North America. The series takes place in a small town, so you want to think cozy mystery. It is not. These are series crimes, serious motives and serious consequences.

WWII historical fiction seems to be quite popular these days, so it is hard to know what to pick up and read.  Trust me, A Deceptive Devotion is a good one!

The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Cats of War (Central Galactic Concordance) by Carol Van Natta – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, Carol Van Natta, cats, mystery, pets, Pets in Space, romance, scifi, scifi romance, series

About Cats of War by Carol Van Natta

A tarnished military Subcaptain, a repair technician hiding from her past, and two genetically engineered cats join must forces to save an important factory.

Military Subcaptain Kedron Tauceti counts the days until he can leave the rare metals factory and his current duty station as the liaison to the galactic government’s Criminal Restitution and Indenture Obligation system. The post was protection—and punishment—for exposing a theft ring during his previous assignment. He’s more than ready to get his career back on track on a new base halfway across the galaxy, even if it means leaving behind the one person who makes him want to stay. Not that he’s told her, because technically, he’s her warden.

Former financial specialist and current indenturee Ferra Barray, hiding from her past, only has three months to go on her restitution sentence. She’s lucked into a tech repair job. If she keeps her head down, she’ll soon be free to figure out her future. Unfortunately, the local shark behind every illegal scheme in the facility wants her to steal for him, and she’s running out of excuses. And now the heroically handsome Tauceti, who she hoped could help, is transferring out.

Everything changes when Ferra discovers two genetically modified cats. Saving them takes incredible risks. She doesn’t know what she’ll do if she can’t convince Tauceti to rescue the cats and keep them until she’s free to come for them.

But when trouble erupts at the factory, it might just be the cats who save them.

NOTE TO READERS: Cats of War debuted in the limited edition Embrace the Passion: Pets in Space 3 anthology. It has been edited for clarity, but is substantially unchanged from the original.

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Review of Cats of War

This is the second time I have read Cats of War. The first time, it was part of the Pets in Space 3 anthology. Now available as a stand alone novella, the second time reading this story, I enjoyed it just as much, if not more than the first time. Like the book, my review has not changed substantially from the first time I wrote about it. 😊

Cats of War by takes place in the galaxy of telepaths, telekinetics and patterners where not having those skills seems to be a major handicap, but having them puts one on the CPS radar. In this story, we have two people who have avoided the CPS trap, but find that sometimes, using your talent for good is worth taking the risk.

Our hero, Kedron, is a quiet nerd (I do love the quiet nerds!) who is trying to stay under the radar until he can get off this planet. He has noticed Ferra, but is not sure if he should open up to the lovely techie. He is pretty sure he should not. That doesn’t keep him from saving up week’s work of technical issues that will require her attention.

Ferra is the heroine who is dodging a past by doing time – voluntarily – as an indentured worker. Kedron is definitely out of her league, but when his repair requests put them together, she can’t help but think he is more than he appears to be.

Their mutual attraction goes unnoticed, mostly, until circumstances force them to spend more time together. Whether it is fixing technical problems with dubious causes, saving animals or fending off the gangster indenturees, Kedron and Ferra make a good team. I think you could say they have chemistry.

Wait – I haven’t mentioned the critters yet. Cats. Flying cats. Flying chameleon cats. Flying chameleon telepathic cats. How cool is that?! The cats are some of the animals that needed rescuing and they quickly worm their way into the hearts of Ferra and Kedron and the reader.

I am a big fan of the Central Galactic Concordance series, but the two Pets in Space stories, Pet Trade and Cats of War may be my favorites. Sci-fi reading animal lovers, this book is for you!

Thanks to the author for providing a copy of Cats of War in exchange for my unbiased interview.

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