Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

by Nancy Campbell Allen

Overview

Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast in this Steampunk Proper Romance

When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, shape-shifting creatures have been reported in the area, and vampires lurk across the Scottish border.

Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable, and does not take kindly to visitors—even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles be to blame for the deaths?

Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man—beast and all?
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629721750
Publisher:	Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date:	08/02/2016
Series:	A Steampunk Proper Romance Series
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	760,627
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Nancy Campbell Allen is the author of twelve novels, which span genres from contemporary romantic suspense to historical fiction. She has presented at numerous writing conferences and events. She has a degree in Elementary Education and is the mother of three children.

Read an Excerpt

Blackwell was dressed in black trousers and black riding boots that sported mud spatters. His discarded overcoat was slung over the back of the sofa, his unbuttoned vest was black, as was his cravat, which was undone and hanging loosely about his neck. He’d rolled back the cuffs of his snowy-white shirt, which was the only color contrast on an otherwise intimidating male with black hair and a thick scar that ran the length of his profile on the right side of his face. It extended from his temple, across the cheekbone and down to his jawline just beyond the corner of his mouth. The flickering lamplight showed that it continued under his chin and down across the front of his neck where it eventually disappeared under his shirt.

Lucy frowned and drew her brows together in spite of his uncomfortably close proximity, studying his face.

?“Do you have something you would like to say?” the man murmured, his voice deep, strained.

She opened her mouth and spoke before giving any real thought to her words. “Your scar isn’t nearly as fearsome as others suggest.” Her tone trailed off as she realized the extent of her social gaffe. Not only was she wandering about in the wee hours of the morning in nothing but her night clothing, she had just been blunt and insulting to the lord of the manor and her cousin’s brother-in-law. She was usually much more circumspect. Her only excuse for the lack of polish was the fact that she’d just seen an apparition—of which she’d formerly doubted the existence—and now the ghost’s brother wasn’t proving to be any more pleasant.

Editorial Reviews

★ 03/14/2016
Allen (My Fair Gentleman) jumps gracefully on to the supernatural Victorian bandwagon, keeping both the romance and the gore PG-rated in a steampunk setting. Her tale seamlessly combines family politics, ballroom dancing, and romantic swooning with airships, ray guns, and automatons, as well as scientifically verified vampires and werewolves. Lucy Pickett, whose research on ways to counter vampires is a priority for the Botanical Aid Society of London, visits Blackwell Manor to find a remedy for her cousin Kate, who’s usually “healthy as an ox” but has been taken ill since moving there with her new husband, the brother of the Earl of Blackwell. When the ghost of Marie, the late sister of the secretive earl, tries to communicate with Lucy, the earl takes her under his protection and his scrutiny. She’s terrified by the scar across his face and the rumors that he killed both Marie and his young wife, and yet Lucy finds him to be a kind confidant and an appealing suitor. Allen’s imagining of “Beauty and the Beast” as a supernatural period murder mystery is delightful at every turn. Agent: Pam Howell, D4EO. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"In addition to being the perfect genre, the cover is stunning so there were high expectations set even before the book was opened...There is plenty of commonality between this story and the original to be recognizable, and yet Allen transformed it into her own stunning piece...Steampunk novels can be so fun as the reader sees what modern gadgets and technologies authors choose to include in their stories; the things Allen incorporated really added to the intrigue and excitement of the book. Besides what has already been mentioned there is mystery, action, and suspense that will have the reader on the edge of their seat. Truly not enough can be said about this novel to describe how fantastic it is. I've never read any of Nancy Campbell Allen's work prior to this but if her other novels are even remotely as good as this one, they must all be read as well." [five out of five stars]

Compass Book Ratings

"Delivers a unique take on a classic fairy tale...in a steampunk version of Victorian England, Wonderful novel filled with romance, action and adventure. The story boasts a strong hero and heroine, a darkly atmospheric setting, intriguing steampunk details and the mystery of a few spooky ghosts, vampires and werewolves. Readers will eagerly await the next novel in what promises to be an excellent series."

BookPage

"Wonderful rendition of the 'Beauty and the Beast' tale set in a Steampunk-inspired London plagued with vampires. This gothic story has it all: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, dangerous manor houses and a damsel in distress. However, in this case the distressed damsel is not the heroine but her cousin. Lucy is smart, fearless and determined to save her newly-married cousin. Campbell Allen treats readers to a spooky and thrilling ride that is rolled into a heartfelt romance." (four out of four stars)

 

Romantic Times

"Readers new to steampunk as well as fans of the inventive genre will enjoy Allen's tale of gothic steampunk romance suspense. Neatly rendered steampunk details, from the characters’ attire to airships and robot servants, add enticing atmosphere to the growing mystery. Allen’s keen and enjoyable romance has the smart banter and appeal of Marion Chesney’s capers."

Booklist

2016-05-31
An updated fairy tale in steampunk England mixes old-school gothic and new-school paranormal.This new genre-blending offering by Allen (My Fair Gentleman, 2016, etc.) has a promising start, with heroine Lucy Pickett arriving at suitably menacing Blackwell Manor to figure out what ails her cousin Kate. The latter is newly married to the younger brother of the hero, Lord Miles Blackwell—he of the clockwork heart. During Lucy's arrival, however, the lord of the manor is elsewhere, trying to conceal a secret that a blackmailer has already discovered. Is it proof that suspicions of Miles' Bluebeard tendencies are valid? Are his wife's death and his sister's murder the fault of his beastly self? His return to the manor, along with Lucy's investigation into her cousin's illness, escalates the ongoing mysterious happenings in the gloomy house. While the beast struggles to resist his desire for the beauty, she has to confront ghosts, automatons gone rogue, obnoxious relatives, surly staff, vampires, and Miles' faulty ticker—actual and metaphorical. This roster of problems would tax the hardiest of heroines, but when she starts to wander into darkened spaces and confront all manner of humans, machines, and creatures of the night, the most stalwart reader may develop steampunk-gothic-fairy-tale-paranormal fatigue. The urge to yell "Don't go there!" may also be hard to resist.There is a standard traumatic back story for the titular beast, a soap opera-worthy exhumation scene, and, finally, a dramatic unmasking of the obvious villain, but the story has already run out of steam by then.

Kirkus Reviews

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