Gail Carriger's fourth book featuring Alexia Tarrabotti is as witty and well written as the previous three instalments.
Attack of the killer zombie porcupines
Alexia is back in England after her Italian adventure and at an advanced stage in her pregnancy. The vampires are still unhappy about this and try to kill her in a variety of ways. A solution to this is found by Professor Lyall which involves Lord Akaldama's second and third closets. And a drawbridge. There are balconies as well.
As the Wolsey Pack take up residence in London, Alexia receives a ghostly warning that 'the queen' is in danger. Alexia and BUR leap in to action. At least BUR does, Alexia is forced to waddle. The investigation leads Alexia into the past, her father's, and the Wolsey pack's. In search of information Alexia inducts her friend Ivy into the Parasol Protectorate and sends her off to Scotland looking for information. Alexia disguises herself and sets out to find out where the warning originally came from, and discovers a connection to the Order of the Brass Octopus and their resident cook - an expert in poisons. Unfortunately it's all a colossal red herring.
During the upheaval and investigation Alexia's sister Felicity comes to stay, having been thrown out by their mother for joining the Suffragettes. Felicity's new found interest proves to be deceptive.
Giant fire spitting cephalopods
After much confusion Alexia eventually reaches the correct conclusion on the night of the full moon, when her husband and the pack are indisposed. Alexia is forced to chase her friend, Genevieve, across London by taking a lift with Lord Akaldama's drones in his private dirigible. As their house is being destroyed by Genevieve in a bid to find her son, the Westminster Hive is forced to leave their home. Much to her disgust Alexia learns that she has been betrayed by her sister. To top it all off Alexia then has to find a way to defeat a mechanical octopus that spits fire and wooden stakes. She is also in labour at this point. A minor detail as far as Alexia is concerned.
Conclusion
The story reaches its climax a little before the end of the novel, allowing for further expansion on the nature of Alexia's child, and the consequences of their actions to play out for all the main characters.
A little slow to get going, this novel rewards perseverance. It is clever in its misdirection, although the clues are there if you care to look.
Highly recommended.
Gail Carriger, Heartless (Parasol Protectorate 4) Published by Orbit
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