Stoker & Holmes #2 The Spiritglass Charade

Presenting Stoker & Holmes #2 The Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason.

Here is the summary of the book:

After the Affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa "appear lunatic," using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected? As Uncle Sherlock would say, "there are no coincidences." It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay.

Stoker & Holmes are back and more than ready to tackle a new case. Eveline Stoker & Mina Holmes. Reluctant partners and polar opposites. And are more than ready to see what Princess Alix has for them. After Egyptology, The Spiritglass Charade garners a study of the spirits as this next generation dynamic duo looks onto young Willa Ashton, who is dabbling into spirit mediums, believing to be communicating with the spirit of her late mother, if she and the medium are to be understood.

The game is afoot and crack on they go. The two sleuths going about it in their own way as they find the perpetrator and get to the bottom of the case. One prefers cold hard facts and reasons, the other is much more attuned to hunting for answers and asking later. Mina and Eve go about it their own way and while one doesn't like the other, they respect each other enough. Of course what started as a simple case turns deadly as more and more twists and turns are unearthed, and secrets come to light.

The time-traveler Dylan, Inspector Grayling, the notoriously handsome thief, Pix make their appearance noted. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Bram Stoker do too and the author must be credited in her technique to take history, fiction and steampunk and masterfully concoct a well compact tale. As Uncle Sherlock says 'there are no coincidences', thus it is not coincidence alone that Mina and Eve got paired up together. As it is going to take the Holmes' wit and the Stoker muscle to tackle the dark and dreary reaches of London underground.

"An exhilarating and exciting romp for Stoker & Holmes"

Genre :      Young Adult, Thriller, Steampunk, Paranormal, Historical Fantasy

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Release Date: 7th October, 2014

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Other Books in the series (review links):
                #1 The Clockwork Scarab 

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Stoker & Holmes #1 The Clockwork Scarab

A most wonderful..... wonderful book. Presenting Stoker & Holmes #1 The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason.

Here is the summary of the book:

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. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.

Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.

There is everything to like in here..... Come on what's not to like.... There is history. 1800s Steampunk London..... Some pretty slick inventions too. A great plot. A delightfully mysteriously crime scene. Time travel. Egyptology. Action..... And at the heart of it two legendary names - Stoker & Holmes...... and this is just the beginning.

Mina Holmes & Evaline Stoker. One is the niece of the infamous Sherlock Holmes, while the latter, the sister to Bram Stoker and a vampire hunter. Called in to help with the murder of two young woman. Curiouser and Curiouser, there is a clockwork Scarab found close to their bodies. The evidence may suggest it to be suicide but the appearance of these contraptions may just suggest otherwise.

Reluctant partners. While similar in many ways, they are as opposite as night and day. Mina inheriting the priced qualities of her uncle, portrays a calculated mind, with the ability to make decisive deductions. Just by a glance she can state the history or the day timeline of a person and just like her uncle loves to conduct experiments on any and everything imaginable. But a loner, she is socially awkward and insecure when it comes to the opposite sex.

Eve stoker. She is beautiful, determined, boisterous and the type who attacks first and ask the questions later. Super strong and isn't afraid to get dirty with the opponent but despite all that goes numb at the sight of blood, which is rather strange for her since she was born to be a vampire hunter. Although highly regarded in the society, prefers hunting the vampires instead of attending balls. Resourceful in their own means, both Mina & Eve come together as the perfect partners supplying support where the other falls short.

The plot cleverly constructed around these two, there are no shortage of males. As possible love interests, there is one charming and notorious thief, another the imposing uniformed member of Scotland yard and the third, to a lesser extent, our out of place modern boy.... as for the villain, cunning.... very cunning.... and I'm eager for a sequel to see how things pan out.

I would highly recommend it you guys. Again I say, you have everything in here you want. There's 1800, London, Sherlock Holmes, Bram Stoker, Dr. Watson, some pretty slick steampunk inventions.... an interesting and a very strong plot..... the boys of your dreams and pretty ass-kicking heroines.

"Fresh and riveting heroines with the name tag Stoker & Holmes ..... 1800 Steampunk London ...... Pick it up folks, highly recommended"

Genre :      Young Adult, Thriller, Steampunk, Paranormal, Historical fantasy

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Release Date: 17th September, 2013

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository