THE ZEPPELIN DECEPTION By Colleen Gleason

January 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE ZEPPELIN DECEPTION By Colleen GleasonThe Zeppelin Deception by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #5
Published by Avid Press on 8/22/19
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 360
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

It’s a cold, blustery day in January of 1890 when Mina Holmes receives an invitation to Evaline Stoker’s wedding. The two young women—partners and occasionally friends—haven’t spoken for nearly two months, since the events at the Carnelian Crow.

Shocked, Mina is still looking at the invitation when constables from Scotland Yard begin pounding on her front door. They’ve arrived to arrest her for the murder of a man she’s never even heard of.

Meanwhile, Evaline has her hands full with wedding plans (boring) and an overbearing sister who wants to manage her every move—including a dizzying array of social activities. In the midst of all this, she receives an invitation to visit Lady Isabella Cosgrove-Pitt, a most villainous woman.

With Pix in jail, Mina being hunted by Scotland Yard, and Evaline dining with the murderous Lady Isabella what more can possibly go wrong? Plenty.

And when the mysterious black zeppelin appears once again in the night sky, things are about to get even more dangerous than ever for Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes...

Short and Sweet Review

After the events of the Carnelian Crow, Mina and Evaline haven’t spoken in two months, so Mina is surprised when she gets an invitation to Evaline’s wedding. Mina doesn’t have long to think about how strange this is because the constables from Scotland Yard are pounding on her door waiting to arrest her for murder of a man she’s never even heard of. Evaline on the other hand is planning a wedding she doesn’t even want to have, but when she gets an invitation to go to Isabella Cosgrove-Pitt’s house she accepts, because what’s the worst that could happen?

I thought this last installment in the Stoker and Holmes series was probably one of the best, I liked it a lot more than the Carnelian Crow. I thought it was interesting to see how Mina and Evaline were without each other and the realization that they really do like to work together and care for one another. My favorite thing about this book was that it was the ending and we see these girls tackle their final case and will finally take on the Ankh for the last time. The Ankh really is one of their toughest villains and it was interesting to see how she was still pulling the strings in this final book. We also get to see some of the characters that we’ve come to love like Grayling, Pix, and Dylan.

The Zeppelin Deception was a great send off for Mina and Evaline, thought the series we’ve seen them work together and really form a bond. The plot in this book wasn’t lacking and it was fun seeing our heroines tackle one last case before moving on.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE CARNELIAN CROW By Colleen Gleason

December 8, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE CARNELIAN CROW By Colleen GleasonThe Carnelian Crow by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #4
Published by Avid Press on 7/11/17
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 282
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Ever since the debacle of the Chess Queen Enigma, Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker have laid low, trying to settle back into their quiet lives as young ladies of London. But the Holmesian deductive abilities won't remain dormant for long, and when Mina receives a strange package from a winged, midnight visitor, she is catapulted into a new, dangerous adventure: the search for The Carnelian Crow.

Meanwhile, Evaline has received some very disturbing news--news that will change her life forever. Along with that unpleasant knowledge is the strange disappearance of her nemesis, the disreputable pickpocket Pix.

When it becomes clear the arch-villainess the Ankh has made her next move, it will take all of Mina's Holmesian ingenuity and Evaline's courage and determination to stop the criminal from executing her boldest and most dangerous plan yet!

Short and Sweet Review

Mina and Evaline are back. After what happened with the Chess Queen Enigma the girls have been laying low but after Mina receives a package she and Evaline are on the search for the Carnelian Crow.

In this book we see the girls try to figure out what the Carnelian Crow is and its importance. The Ankh is also back and is making her next book. Evaline’s family is having financial problems so her sister in law is trying to find her someone rich to marry. This book was pretty short and I don’t think there was a lot going on. The girls did more detective work on their own in this book and it was nice to see their investigation skills and how they got out of certain situations. We see characters from the past books and I liked seeing Mina and Grayling together. The ending was probably the best part because there was a lot of action, it did end on a cliffhanger so I’m interested to see how it all ends in the next book.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE CHESS QUEEN ENIGMA By Colleen Gleason

June 24, 2017 by 1 Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE CHESS QUEEN ENIGMA By Colleen GleasonThe Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #3
Published by Chronicle Books on 10/6/15
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Mystery & Detective, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 360
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood, so to speak.

In this third installment of the Stoker and Holmes series, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes have reluctantly agreed to act as social chaperones and undercover bodyguards for Princess Lurelia of Betrovia, who has arrived in London to deliver a letter that details the secret location of an ancient chess queen that's been missing for centuries. But when the letter—which will heal a centuries-old rift between England and the Betrovians—is stolen out from under Evaline and Mina's watchful eyes, the two girls are forced into a high-stakes race to ensure they find the chess queen before anyone else does.


Short and Sweet Review

Mina and Evaline are asked to be social chaperones for princess Lurelia of Betrovia, the only problem is the princess seems to be dull and boring. Not only do the two girls have to worry about watching the princess, they’re also trying to find a chess piece that has been missing for centuries before their foe the Ankh gets to it. This is my favorite book in the series so far! There was so much going on that it just held my attention and made me wonder what was going to happen next. There were a few storylines in this book, one involving the princess and the chess piece and one that involved Pix and his mysterious device which was mentioned in book two. The Ankh is also back, and I felt bad for Mina because it always seemed like the Ankh was one step ahead of her. Mina and Evaline are still growing and in this book I felt like they respected each other more, which lead them to work better as partners. We got to see more of Grayling, I enjoy scenes with him and the interactions he had with Mina. This book was my favorite and I can’t wait until book four is released! I highly recommend this series especially if you love mysteries!

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Filed Under: Reviews

THE SPIRITGLASS CHARADE By Colleen Gleason

June 16, 2017 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE SPIRITGLASS CHARADE By Colleen GleasonThe Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #2
Published by Chronicle Books on 10/7/14
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 360
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood, so to speak.

After the Affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa appear lunatic using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected?

As Uncle Sherlock would say, there are no coincidences. It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay.


Short and Sweet Review

In The Spiritglass Charade, Mina and Evaline are asked to investigate who is trying to get a young heiress’ fortune. There’s also the mystery of a missing brother and vampires coming back to London. In this book we still have the same characters we met in the first book. This time both of the girls are eager to show that they have the skills to solve this mystery. The mystery surrounding Willa was well done, it wasn’t obvious who was trying to get her fortune. Mina was a hard character to connect to mainly because she comes across as smug  whenever she makes a deduction. I like Eva but during this book she made a lot of reckless decisions. Pix was also in this book and he’s just a big mystery. Who is he working for and what is he up to? Grayling is also back and I just love his character I want more of him he takes his job seriously and keeps Mina on her toes. I thought that Grayling’s scenes with Mina were cute I liked when they were together. The Ankh doesn’t make an appearance in this book but she was mentioned. I love mysteries and this series is great, I can’t wait to read the next book!

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Filed Under: Reviews

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB By Colleen Gleason

June 9, 2017 by 1 Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB By Colleen GleasonThe Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #1
Published by Chronicle Books on 9/17/13
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 356
Format: Hardcover
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

ReviewedbyDani

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business.

But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there's no one more qualified to investigate.

Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve a murder with only one clue: the strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high.

If Stoker and Holmes don't unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they'll become the next victims.


Short and Sweet Review

Mina Holmes is the niece of Sherlock and Evaline Stoker is the younger sister of Bram. These girls live two totally different lives, Mina has the same great observation and deduction skills that her uncle has, and Evaline has strength and quickness which helps her to fight vampires. The girls meet at the British Museum and meet Irene Adler, who informs them of a mystery. The mystery being young women who have either disappeared or have been found murdered. Both Evaline and Mina have to work together to stop the evil that is going on throughout London. These two girls did not mesh Mina thought that Evaline was impulsive and Evaline thought that Mina was a know it all. I enjoyed this book it’s so different, its a steampunk novel that takes place in London. The mystery itself kept me on my toes we get to see a bit of Egyptian mythology as well. There’s a lot of character development in this book and though we do get to meet male characters they’re not the focus of the book. I love mysteries and this one was so interesting the steampunk aspect and the two main characters. This book is worth reading!

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Filed Under: Reviews