The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter

So, I just finished a well written steampunk novel that was really good - The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan. Strong, clever female heroine perfectly capable of rescuing herself, no love triangle (in fact no romance!), excellent pacing, and although it is the first in a series, it can stand on its own just fine - no cliffhanger. Highly recommended.

The main character is Elizabeth Barnabas, and she has made a life out of posing as two people - herself and her twin brother. The brother works as a private investigator, which would be impossible for a woman to do in Elizabeth's world. Set in an alternate history world where the United Kingdom has been divided into two realms - imagine if the Luddites had been successful, and the patent office became a very powerful entity with its own law officers. The world building here is lovely, and I like that Mr. Duncan doesn't try to cram it down the reader's throat, but reveals it bit by bit as the story goes along. Not only is Elizabeth's current case very interesting, her backstory has its own intrigue. This is a mystery with action and adventure that does not disappoint; I for one cannot wait to read the next one!