Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Clockwork Detective is the first book in a new steampunk mystery series by R. A. McCandless. Released 7th May 2019 from Ellysian, it's 317 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a competently written mystery with good characters, rendered well. The main protagonist is a flawed war hero who is a pragmatist on her way to an assignment in another city when she receives orders to make a detour to investigate a suspicious death in the provinces.

Apart from the tendency on the part of the author to go for the easy option with word choices in setting and environment (druwyd, Haenlein, two different secondary characters named Alina, Bergen/krona), the characterizations and world building are quite well done. The narrative is technically very good with a well defined, smooth tension arc and a satisfying denouement. There aren't a lot of surprises, but the book is mostly character driven, so seeing their development made it an enjoyable read. I was sometimes confused by the abrupt appearance and rapid disappearance of a number of secondary characters (Maritta) and plot threads, but I am willing to see if the disparate threads are picked up later. I appreciated the positive (not overemphasized) depiction of LGBTQIA+ characters. That being said, this volume is refreshingly free of overt romance and there's no graphic sexual content. There's one threatened sexual assault against the MC, but she dispatches the mob with aplomb. The language is quite clean and there's nothing scandalous. I loved the airships. Everyone loves airships.

I enjoyed reading the book very much and look forward to seeing more in the series. There's apparently an anthology of short fiction at least one of which is set in the same world as this one.

Four stars. Well written steampunk murder mystery. (Airships!)

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I really enjoyed this! I have to admit, I read mostly kids' lit, so this was a pleasant "adult" break from my usual fare. It was a bit slower starting than I'm used to, but the beginning ties in very well with the conclusion, and gives added weight to the MC's decision to stay in the town as its Constable. I read it in one night (I started, the Kindle battery died, had to recharge, but I had barely started, I promise), staying up to 1 am to finish. I got the sense there were other books / stories before it, but it reads well as a stand-alone and doesn't require previous story knowledge to enjoy. I have to admit, I'm going to look for the sequel or previous books, if there are any. I'd highly recommend it!

Can I say first, what a gorgeous cover this is? It's what first attracted me to this novel. And then the title and blurb were very intriguing, too:
"Aubrey Hartman left the Imperial battlefields with a pocketful of medals, a fearsome reputation, and a clockwork leg. The Imperium diverts her trip home to investigate the murder of a young druid in a strange town. She is ordered to not only find the killer but prevent a full-scale war with the dreaded Fae. Meanwhile, the arrival of a sinister secret policeman threatens to dig up Aubrey’s own secrets – ones that could ruin her career. It soon becomes clear that Aubrey has powerful enemies with plans to stop her before she gets started. Determined to solve the mystery, Aubrey must survive centaurs, thugs, and a monster of pure destruction."
Sounds good, right? Fae in a steampunk world and a murder mystery. I haven't read anything from R. A. McCandless before, so I don't know how this compares to his other two novels, which are urban fantasy. All the ingredients are here, but they just didn't add up to a tasty enough dish for me.
Aubrey is an engaging protagonist with an interesting backstory and solid detective skills. The clockwork leg is a stroke of genius. I think one of the problems is that I wanted more fantasy and science fiction wonder here. What I got felt more of a police procedural than anything else, despite the speculative elements. You could drop Aubrey into real world Victorian London, replace the druids with priests and the Centaurs with East End thugs and the first two thirds of the story would unfold in much the same way.
The final third begins with more supernatural happenings, but then devolves into so many pages of thinking and dialogue that it loses most of its momentum and tension. The ending wraps things up nicely, but again is too slow and extended.
I still think there are things here to enjoy, and I know that some readers have loved this novel, but it just scrapes in at three stars for me.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from #Netgalley, courtesy of Ellysian Press.

Inspector Aubrey Hartmann is a well-drawn character and the world itself is vivid and interesting. The plot moves along smartly, the writing is often compelling. I finished it in one sitting and would gladly see a sequel.

The Clockwork Detective tells the story of Aubrey Hartmann, a war hero and constable who finds herself working a case in Aqualinne, a backwater trading town growing too fast for its own good. A young druwyd has died, and unfortunately, suspicions fall on the fae living in the nearby woods. Tensions in the Empire are already high, what with the war going on, and Aubrey will need to navigate the potential fall-out with the utmost care and respect. Meanwhile, the secret police become involved, and foreign interests are also scoping the situation out.

I have the highest praise for McCandless’s book. Aubrey is a nuanced protagonist, who is both strong yet vulnerable, with flaws that make her human and relatable. The story itself kept me on my toes, as political interests weave in with the magical. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, and anything in between.

3.5/5

Steampunk aesthetic appeals to me. It’s cool to see pocket watches and gas lamps in worlds inhabited by automatons strolling the cobblestone streets. And when you look up, you see bizarre airships cutting through clouds. Yummy.

The Clockwork Detective takes place in such a world. To make things even more fun, it throws dangerous Fae to the mix. Aubrey Hartmann, a war veteran with a pocketful of medals, fearsome reputation, and a clockwork leg investigates the murder of a young druwyd. Her potential mistakes can cause a full-scale war with the Fae. Her enemies want her to fail. Her past can ruin her career. As you see the stakes are high. 

As a lead, Aubrey doesn’t lack the roguish charm and charisma.  Despite her military past and her current work in law enforcement, she repetitively straddles the line between crime and justice. She drinks too much. She does questionable things for personal gain but she also sees the big picture and works for the interest of the society. Her intelligence allows her to see the matters clearly and unmask dangerous conspiracy and find creative solutions to problems at hand. All of this makes her nuanced and layered. 

The story has a strong feel of a police procedural. Supernatural elements come into play into the final third and that’s when the fun begins. I especially enjoyed Centaurs presented as wild and lethal predators able to tear humans into pieces without breaking a sweat. Those few chapters kept me at the edge of the seat. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the ending. Or, rather, the path to the climax. Just when things get exciting, the pacing slows down and loses most of its momentum and tension. Exciting parts mix with pages of dialogue and thinking. I’m a huge proponent of thinking, mind you. I just prefer to see its results faster in books.

The story comes together well and the main plot is well oiled and all tied up. Sure, there are hints about a bigger conspiracy Aubrey still needs to unravel, but the answers we get satisfied my curiosity but also whet my appetite for more. Despite its minor flaws, The Clockwork Detective should appeal to readers who enjoy intelligent protagonists and murder mysteries with complex politics in the background. 

Steampunk is such a romantically creative genre and I really did enjoy this book. It follows injured war veteran-turned-detective Aubrey Hartmann who is attempting to solve a murder. The story tilts towards fantasy rather than science fiction as she encounters fae creatures and supernatural beings that feed of a city's collective fear.
I give it a 5 stars rating, but 4 1/2 might be more accurate, but I round up, not down. I quite liked Aubrey and some of the side characters. The mystery was engaging enough to hold my attention and the world in which it is set is rich and immersive. My only complaint is that the story dragged towards the end as it attempted to set up what I assume is going to be a continuing series with Aubrery solving paranormal crime and battling with her wits and trusty can sword against Imperial inspectors and Fae forces.
However, just say the word, and I'll be back for more. I suspect many others will be too.

I jumped at the chance to preview a steampunk mystery and R.A. McCandless did not disappoint! McCandless writes an engaging, strong, LGBTQ+ heroine who is fearless, intelligent, and sassy. I look forward to reading more of Aubrey's adventures.
Equal parts mystery and steampunk, this book will satisfy a wide audience of readers. The cast was interesting and well-developed, and the well-paced action made this one difficult to put down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ellysian Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was something I was absolutely sure I was going to love. It has all the pieces that sounded great. While I really enjoyed parts of this story I had a much harder time with this one than I was anticipating.

The first half of the book was slow with a lot of information about the world and the situation Constable Aubrey finds herself in. I especially enjoyed Aubrey as a character. She was intelligent and interesting. The city she finds herself in is also in an interesting position as it is growing very quickly and encountering new challenges every day. The second half of the book really picked up the pace and I was more interesting in picking it up after the half way point.

The writing itself was confusing. There is a lot going on in this world and I had the sense we will see more in future books. However, the surface level introduction in this book was just confusing and limited. I liked this book enough that I would read more so I hope there is more explanation in the future.

Personally I love when books blend fantasy and science fiction so I did really enjoy the steampunk elements. I enjoyed the character interactions as well. Overall I wanted even more steampunk and fantasy elements incorporated into this story. I enjoyed the fae and other elements that were included, but I craved more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book.

The usual caveat applies - Netgalley, free copy, blah blah.
I must admit I was a little surprised by this book. It really sounds like the author has chucked everything but the kitchen sink in, given it a stir, and hoped for the best. There's obvious steampunk (clockwork leg, airships, all the usual suspects), mythical beings in the form of centaurs of the Fae, druids, and a whodunnit!

It really should be a hot mess.

But, somehow, against all odds, it's really quite engaging. It clips along at a good pace, the secondary characters are as well-drawn as the main ones, and it was altogether an enjoyable read.

It's unashamedly 'first in a series', but still holds up well. I look forward to reading the next one.