ASHES

This steampunk novel focuses on a series of murders during a time of invention.

The year is 1810, and the “first-ever” world’s fair is all the rage in a town called Well’s Peake. The fair is a place for inventors to show off their latest works. One participant is 24-year-old Aleksander Scott, who has developed a flamethrower-like device that he hopes will be useful in agriculture. But not everyone is excited about technological advancements. Thirty years prior, something called the Black Harvest, a contamination, resulted in numerous deaths and disabilities. In the eyes of the public, inventors have a “forced reputation for being responsible for the Black Harvest.” No one wants to see something like it happen again. That’s why a man named Bernard Griffin seeks to create a “league of extraordinary people” to help keep emerging technology on the right path. To complicate matters, a series of grisly murders is taking place. While inventors seem to be the initial targets of the violence, the killer soon moves on to others. The authorities of Well’s Peake call on private detective Nicoli Lucas to help with the case. Even an esteemed professional like Nicoli has never seen anything quite like this. Lyon’s ambitious series opener throws a lot of characters at readers very quickly. No sooner is Aleksander demonstrating his device than the narrative introduces other players, like the steam power enthusiast Natalia Arlen, pesky journalist Abel Hawthorne, wealthy socialite Kenneth Forbes, and more. It takes several pages (and introductions such as “My name is Edwin. I see we are ready for a night of beauty and splendor”) for the cast members to make their marks. Yet once the story falls into a groove with a relentless murderer, the pace quickens. In contrast, elements like Bernard’s desire for a league do not generate much excitement. But while the narrative takes its time to play out over 600 pages, the hunt for a serial killer in this imaginative world makes for a satisfying endeavor.

A vivid and engaging suspense tale with a wide-ranging cast.