Review: The Bullet Catcher’s Daughter captivates

Elizabeth Barnabus was brought up in the circus in a world where airships ply the skies and technology is tightly controlled by the potent Patent Office.  In a divided Britain, she wends her way through the restrictions imposed upon her by society and makes a living as a private investigator. Against this exotic steampunk backdrop Rod Duncan imbues Elizabeth’s story with mystery and surprises aplenty.

Duncan has crafted a credible and intriguing world where the twists of a society founded on very different ideals are perhaps even more important than the technology. That makes this novel, while solidly a steampunk offering, feel very fresh and engaging. The backdrop of the circus and the surprising way Elizabeth manages to make a living give the whole story real depth.

This is the first in a planned series of novels entitled The Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire: I’m certainly looking forward to the next installments. Fabulous.

We read a review copy of The Bullet Catcher’s Daughter.