The year is 1861 and Cara Devon is back in London after being gone for seven years. The circumstances of her exit are gossiped about even now and her reappearance after her father’s death has added fuel to the fire. All Cara wants to do is find her father’s precious collection of artifacts, sell them off and get the hell out of dodge, um, London. But things become complicated when young women her age are being murdered and it seems they are connected in some way to one of her father’s most prized artifacts, Nefertiti’s Heart. Of his extensive collection, its hiding place is the only one she hasn’t been able to pinpoint. In the meantime, she is fascinated by the Villainous Viscount, Nathaniel Lyons. She agrees to a business arrangement with him in order to sell off the artifacts, but his price may be more than she can bear. Will she have the courage to do what they both want and will he have the patience to wait? Only time will tell and time is running out.

The only reason I put this book down is because I couldn’t keep my eyes open. After working hard all day cleaning up after the nasty storm and power outage I couldn’t get my eyes to cooperate with my will to read. I wanted to keep reading! I struggled to keep reading, but finally had to admit defeat.  Eyelids-1, Will-0. Dammit.

This is one excellent steampunk adventure! The world is exciting, the mystery kept me guessing and the characters…holy shit, what can I tell you about the characters? I love them! I want to interact with them in the real world, but since that’s impossible can I get some action figures of them to put on my desk? Can I? Huh? Pleeeeaaaaasssse? Told from several POVs, though mostly from Cara’s, I really got a sense of who these guys are and I want this series to go on forever. Forever, I tell you!

For those who love steampunk I highly recommend this one, but that’s not only what it is. While being mostly steampunk driven, it has humor, romance, mystery, mythology and even some fantasy thrown in with a smidgeon of steaminess and it’s done wonderfully I might add. So very tasty! I will sit here and giggle in glee because I have Book 2 to dive right into. So why am I still talking to you guys?! *runs off with Hapshepsut’s Collar clutched to chest*