#Review - The Zeppelin Deception by Colleen Gleason #YA #Mystery #Steampunk

Series: Stoker & Holmes #5
Format: Hardcover, 318 pages
Release Date: August 22, 2019
Publisher: Avid Press
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Action & Adventure

Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker return in their final—and most exciting—adventure together.

It’s a cold, blustery day in January of 1890 when Mina Holmes receives an invitation to Evaline Stoker’s wedding. The two young women—partners and occasionally friends—haven’t spoken for nearly two months, since the events at the Carnelian Crow.

Shocked, Mina is still looking at the invitation when constables from Scotland Yard begin pounding on her front door. They’ve arrived to arrest her for the murder of a man she’s never even heard of.

Meanwhile, Evaline has her hands full with wedding plans (boring) and an overbearing sister who wants to manage her every move—including a dizzying array of social activities. In the midst of all this, she receives an invitation to visit Lady Isabella Cosgrove-Pitt, a most villainous woman.

With Pix in jail, Mina being hunted by Scotland Yard, and Evaline dining with the murderous Lady Isabella what more can possibly go wrong? Plenty. And when the mysterious black zeppelin appears once again in the night sky, things are about to get even more dangerous for Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes.

"Nothing is more hateful to wisdom that excessive cleverness."

 

The Zeppelin Deception, by author Colleen Gleason, is the Fifth installment in the authors Stoker and Holmes series. The story is set to the backdrop of 1890 London. The series features two young women (Mina Holmes & Evaline Stoker). The author actually alternatives narratives between the characters and in this case, it is absolutely necessary. The young women are mostly separated for most of this story due to some confusion, hurt feelings, and pride. It has been two months since Mina and Evaline's last adventure in The Carnelian Crow which saw the pairs the arch-villainess the Ankh get away once again. 

As a series summary, Alvermina (Mina) is the daughter of Sir Mycroft Holmes who is the brother of Sherlock Holmes and Desiree Holmes aka Siri who was Evaline's trainer/mentor. No, there's no Sherlock sighting in this book, but there is a brief appearance by Dr. Watson and Mina disguises herself as Dr. Watson to avoid capture by the police and others. Mina has the same inquisitive mindset as Sherlock and doesn't really care what society thinks about her plain Jane appearance or the fact that she avoids London’s society altogether. Fair to say that Mina has known the identity of the Ankh for some time now.

Evaline is the sister to Bram Stoker and a venator (vampire hunter). She is also Victoria Gardella's direct descendant. Mina and Evaline were brought together by Irene Adler, Sherlock's brilliant nemesis to work for the Crown uncovering dangerous mysteries. Evaline has been blessed with super speed, strength, and healing, but nothing can stop her fate when her brother and sister-in-law who are in a financial fix, demand that she marry Edward Lucas Oligary who happens to be filthy rich. 

The story takes some interesting twists & turns that you won't see coming. As I mentioned, Evaline is supposed to marry in March, her friend Pix aka Edison Smith son of Thomas Edison has been arrested for murder, and to top it off, Mina finds herself on the lam after the Metropolitan Police show up at her door attempting to arrest her for murder. To make things interesting, Mina takes a meeting with Lady Isabella who claims that she needs Mina's help. I won't spoil why Isabella is important except to say READ THE SERIES!!!

While Evaline is trying to figure out a way to not marry Edward, and uncovering what really happened to Pix, Mina's hope of salvation and freedom may come from Inspector Grayling who she definitely connects to on an intellectual level as well as an emotional one. For the most part, Mina is literally and figuratively alone for most of this story. Someone has obviously made it their mission in life to put her in prison and out of the way of their machinations. While this is all happening, the mysterious black Zeppelin returns. 

When the young women finally do connect, they need to find a way to take down their arch-nemesis who is quick witted, vastly intelligent, superior in reasoning and deductive skills, not unlike Mina herself. Which is why they wanted to ICE Mina from having anyone to help her. There's no such thing as coincidences in this series. You really need to pay attention to the clues in order to figure out the mysteries, and yes, I mean mysteries. The ending of this series is one that includes everyone from Dylan (who was from 2016), to Irene Adler, to Desiree, to Inspector Grayling, to the appearance of Mycroft. There's yet another surprise waiting at the end of this story for both Mina and Evaline, so, try not to skip over it. The author leaves a curious note. She claims that this may not be the final adventure(s) for Mina or Evaline. But, we will have to see.

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Wednesday #Review - The Carnelian Crow by Colleen Gleason #YALIT #Mystery

Series: Stoker & Holmes # 4
Format: Hardcover, 282 pages
Release Date: July 11, 2017
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Mystery

Ever since the debacle of the Chess Queen Enigma, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker have laid low, trying to settle back into their quiet lives as young ladies of London. But the Holmesian deductive abilities won't remain dormant for long, and when Mina receives a strange package from a winged, midnight visitor, she is catapulted into a new, dangerous adventure: the search for The Carnelian Crow.

Meanwhile, Evaline has received some very disturbing news--news that will change her life forever. Along with that unpleasant knowledge is the strange disappearance of her nemesis, the disreputable pickpocket Pix.

When it becomes clear the arch-villainess the Ankh has made her next move, it will take all of Mina's Holmesian ingenuity and Evaline's courage and determination to stop the criminal from executing her boldest and most dangerous plan yet! 

The Carnelian Crow is the fourth installment in author Colleen Gleason's Stoker and Holmes series. This series features Mina Holmes, niece of Sherlock Holmes, and Evalina Stoker, great-granddaughter of Victoria Gardella (who you can read about in the Gardella Vampire Hunters series). Ever since the fiasco of The Chess Queen Enigma, Mina has been itching for a fight. She has spent the past 8 weeks in limbo without having her mentor, Irene Adler, give her and her supposed partner Evalina any cases to attempt to solve for Queen and country. 

If you are a regular reader of this series, you know that there was a brilliant move by Mina's adversary known as the Ankh that led to a checkmate movement that led to the current state of Mina and Evie's discontent. Mina has some idea of who her nemesis is, but it is all about putting the puzzle pieces together and trying to redeem herself against someone who is 10 paces ahead her in brilliance and machinations. To top things off, Mina gets a visit from a strange crow which leads her to investigation The Carnelian Crow. Which also leads to a curious partnership with Inspector Ambrose Grayling of Scotland Yard.

Meanwhile, Evalina has been skulking around the underground hunting for vampires who have suddenly gotten a whole lot braver in returning to London after Victoria sent them all fleeing years ago. It has also been 2 months since she has seen the rogue Pix. Pix gave her a vampire hunting crossbow the last time he saw her. On the other side of things, Evalina is thrown for a loop after her sister-in-law Florence tells her that they are broke and that she needs to find someone well off in order to marry. The choices become move to Ireland, or put Florence and Bram's future on a girls shoulders who had nothing whatsoever to do with their misfortunes.

What's curious about this story is the relationships. Mina with Inspector Grayling who gets fully involved in the story itself, and Evalina with Pix, while also being courted by a man who has more money that Bill Gates circa 1889. I have to say that I didn't miss Dylan Eckert, the time traveler from 2016, all that much. In fact, I loved the snark, and slow burn romance that develops between Mina and Grayling. Were to make my choice, it would definitely be Grayling for Mina. 

As for Evie, I absolutely feel bad for her. I absolutely hate the 19th century where women were expected to give up their freedoms and get married where they have zero control over their lives, their money, or their fates. For Evie, that's a hard pill to swallow since she is a trained Venator just like Victoria was. I truly do want to see how Gleason resolves this particular issue. I truly do want to see how Gleason also resolves the issue between Mina, Evalina and the Ankh who is pure brilliance as a villain. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes, of course. I am a little woozy in my actual rating because there was a bit too much turbulence in the partnership between Mina and Evalina. At times, Mina overwhelms the story by not taking Evalina seriously. I love the alternate Victorian feeling of the story with really interesting steampunk driven devices. Plus, the book ends on a punch to the throat cliffhanger ending which leads to the 5th and final installment in the series.

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#Tuesday Review - The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason (Young Adult, Steampunk)

Series: Stoker & Holmes # 3
Format: E-Galley, 360 pages
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult, Steampunk

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood, so to speak. 

In this third installment of the Stoker and Holmes series, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes have reluctantly agreed to act as social chaperones and undercover bodyguards for Princess Lurelia of Betrovia, who has arrived in London to deliver a letter that details the secret location of an ancient chess queen that's been missing for centuries. But when the letter—which will heal a centuries-old rift between England and the Betrovians—is stolen out from under Evaline and Mina's watchful eyes, the two girls are forced into a high-stakes race to ensure they find the chess queen before anyone else does.

The Chess Queen Enigma is the third installment in the Stoker & Holmes series by author Colleen Gleason. The Stoker and Holmes series is set in 1889 London, and features Mina Holmes (the daughter Mycroft Holmes) and Evaline Stoker (the younger sister of Bram Stoker). What started out as a bitter rivalry between the girls, has since turned into a partnership and a friendship ever since Irene Adler brought them together in The Clockwork Scarab. Evaline's legacy is as a vampire hunter. She can trace her roots back to Victoria Gardella, an original vampire hunter. (See The Gardella Vampire Chronicles for more information.) 3 weeks ago, Evaline took her place in the history of venators by eliminating a dozen vampires. (See The Spiritglass Charade for more information.) 

Mina can't help who she is. It's in her blood and she's considered to be a prodigy. She idolizes and considers her uncle Sherlock as the gold standard for what investigators should be striving for. She is often at odds with Scotland Yard, especially the brilliant Inspector Grayling who always seems to show up at the most inopportune times. She's also at odds at times with Evaline over which direction an investigation should go. Above all, Mina really believes she knows the true identity of her brilliant and conniving nemesis known as the Ankh. Sometimes I think she's wrong, but other times, I think she may be right.  

And then she mouthed a word at me—an unmistakable word that told me everything I needed to know. “Checkmate.”

Mina and Evaline are working for Irene Adler at the behest of Crown Princess Alexandra. In this episode, Alix volunteers the girls to be bodyguards for Princess Lurelia of Betrovia who supposedly found a 300 year old letter written by Queen Elizabeth hinting at the location of a very valuable and rare Chess Queen Piece. The Chess Piece is said to be able to unlock a chessboard that may contain very priceless treasures and secrets that have been hidden away for centuries. This leads to all sorts of trickery, mystery, suspense, and a thousand questions that should have been answered by those who believed themselves to be bloody brilliant. 

As with previous installments, Gleason's London is a place where Electricity has been outlawed by legislation and steam rules the land. Steam pays an important part in this series, especially with the steam cycle that Inspector Grayling rides around at break neck speeds. You can't really go anywhere in this series without a large amount of gadgets that have been designed and invented by some really interesting character. 

What is interesting to me, is that Gleason has spun herself a really interesting web that has caught three different men that find themselves connected to Mina and Evaline. I've already mentioned Inspector Ambrose Grayling who continues to bump into Mina, and the idea of whether or not the two of them are entirely compatible. After all, how can you truly trust someone whose own family may be behind Mina's nemesis the Ankh?

The next character I need to mention is Dylan Eckhart who someone found himself traveling back in time from 2016, to 1889 and now can't get home. I've adored Dylan over the past three books. I adored his enthusiastic meetings  with the Queen, and with his idols Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. His knowledge, and quick thinking have saved the lives of many who would have died otherwise. I don't know what is happening with Dylan after this book. I won't spoil it, but I did reach for a few tissues in what could have been between him and Mina.

The last character is the most difficult to put my finger on. His name is Pix, and the chemistry between him and Evaline is definitely palpable. If they aren't a couple now, they should be. I think Pix does Evaline a world of good whenever he's around. I can't see Evaline without Pix around to keep her from losing herself to what continues to happen around her. 

Rumor has it that there will be two more books in this series. Brilliant! I do hope so since Mina really needs to absolve herself from all her humiliating errors in this book and get back at her nemesis. I also think that Evaline needs to stay focused. She's allowed the vampires to return to England. Something that hasn't happened in many years. 

**I received this book for free from (Publisher) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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