The Clockwork Scarab (Stoker and Holmes)

by Colleen Gleason

[wcs53]

I was really surprised by The Clockwork Scarab and didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. When I saw that the two main characters in the book were Sherlock Holmes' niece and Bram Stoker's half-sister I was intrigued enough to apply for an ARC of it, which I duly received from LibraryThing.

The story is set in an alternative Steampunk version of Victorian London. I was a bit worried that it might end up too vampire-ish, but that didn't happen. A little time-travel, along with some Egyptian mythology, added to what is a good start to what looks like becoming a decent series.

The plot wasn't too obvious and the story moved along at a decent pace. The two heroines, who are so very different from each other, were forced to work together, but by the end of the book a friendship was beginning to form, which will be a good basis for the stories that will (hopefully) follow.

I'm a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and was glad to see that Miss Holmes in this story had elements of him in her character. Miss Stoker is a very different kind of character, but the two young ladies style and characteristics complimented each other fairly well. I enjoyed the Steampunk elements and the 21st century character stuck in the 19th century, because of an unfortunate case of time-travel, added some humorous moments as well, especially with his smart phone.

I haven't read anything else by Colleen Gleason before, so I'm not able to compare this book with her other writings, which seem to be quite popular. Book two of this series is scheduled for the fall of next year and I look forward to reading that one as well. This has the elements of being a popular series, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Steampunk and/or Sherlock Holmes.