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Hounds of Autumn
It is 1890, and the windswept moors hold dark secrets. Chloe Sullivan is an amateur inventor whose holiday takes a dark turn when her friend and colleague, one of the few female mechanical experts in the British Empire, is murdered.
A black mechanical hound roams the moors, but could it have killed a woman? And what secrets are concealed within the dark family manor?
Accompanied by her naturalist husband and her clockwork cat, Chloe is determined to see her friend’s killer found.
But some secrets have a terrible cost.
A black mechanical hound roams the moors, but could it have killed a woman? And what secrets are concealed within the dark family manor?
Accompanied by her naturalist husband and her clockwork cat, Chloe is determined to see her friend’s killer found.
But some secrets have a terrible cost.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2013
100 people are currently reading
2037 people want to read
About the author
Heather Blackwood
11 books79 followersGet your FREE ebook on my website:
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Heather Blackwood is an American author of urban and historical fantasy, steampunk and mystery. Her books include Hounds of Autumn and the Time Corps Chronicles.
She enjoys playing Celtic harp, writing and reading historical fiction, fantasy, mystery and science fiction. Her obsessions include historic cemeteries, cuckoo clocks, tea, nesting dolls, old books, time travel and stained glass.
She graduated with a BA in literature with a minor in history. She has worked as a high school English teacher, a marketing copy editor, technical editor and an engineering technical writer at a Fortune 500 company. She is now a full-time novelist.
www.heatherblackwood.com
Follow me on Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heath...
Follow me on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Blackw...
Heather Blackwood is an American author of urban and historical fantasy, steampunk and mystery. Her books include Hounds of Autumn and the Time Corps Chronicles.
She enjoys playing Celtic harp, writing and reading historical fiction, fantasy, mystery and science fiction. Her obsessions include historic cemeteries, cuckoo clocks, tea, nesting dolls, old books, time travel and stained glass.
She graduated with a BA in literature with a minor in history. She has worked as a high school English teacher, a marketing copy editor, technical editor and an engineering technical writer at a Fortune 500 company. She is now a full-time novelist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 17, 2013
A woman violates the precepts of nature at her own peril.
Their airship has docked. Chloe Sullivan and her husband, Ambrose, have just arrived in Dartmoor, a rather desolate and atmospheric place, surrounded by moors. Ambrose, a naturalist, plans to work on his latest book while visiting with relatives. And Chloe? She hopes to finally meet the friend and fellow scientist whom she's been corresponding with for years.
Chloe is an inventor and a builder of mechanicals, a fairly unusual pastime for a woman in 1890.
Everyone seems to delight in telling her to mind her place, and not embarrass her husband.
“Oh, but there are plenty of things for a lady to do here,” Alexander said. “We are not without amusements. We have a withdrawing room with a piano, you can embroider, draw, paint, or you can even get a book from the library.”
(As long as it's NOT that "dreadful" book by Mr. Darwin!)
But other than a trip to the pastry shop, Chloe loves nothing more than "tinkering" with machines and making her "baubles."
At least her friend will understand.
But Camille Granger is dead. The police seem to think she was killed by her mechanical hound. Chloe thinks otherwise, and sets out to find the real killer.
This book is a wonderful mixture of steampunky goodness and a plain, old-fashioned mystery. It was loads of funny spending time with this plucky, intrepid heroine, who also happens to be "built like a teapot." I enjoyed, too, the rather complex relationship that exists between Chloe and her much-older husband.
Miss Blackwood, please put aside your more "lady-like" pursuits and write more soon!
Their airship has docked. Chloe Sullivan and her husband, Ambrose, have just arrived in Dartmoor, a rather desolate and atmospheric place, surrounded by moors. Ambrose, a naturalist, plans to work on his latest book while visiting with relatives. And Chloe? She hopes to finally meet the friend and fellow scientist whom she's been corresponding with for years.
Chloe is an inventor and a builder of mechanicals, a fairly unusual pastime for a woman in 1890.
Everyone seems to delight in telling her to mind her place, and not embarrass her husband.
“Oh, but there are plenty of things for a lady to do here,” Alexander said. “We are not without amusements. We have a withdrawing room with a piano, you can embroider, draw, paint, or you can even get a book from the library.”
(As long as it's NOT that "dreadful" book by Mr. Darwin!)
But other than a trip to the pastry shop, Chloe loves nothing more than "tinkering" with machines and making her "baubles."
At least her friend will understand.
But Camille Granger is dead. The police seem to think she was killed by her mechanical hound. Chloe thinks otherwise, and sets out to find the real killer.
This book is a wonderful mixture of steampunky goodness and a plain, old-fashioned mystery. It was loads of funny spending time with this plucky, intrepid heroine, who also happens to be "built like a teapot." I enjoyed, too, the rather complex relationship that exists between Chloe and her much-older husband.
Miss Blackwood, please put aside your more "lady-like" pursuits and write more soon!
September 5, 2019
9/5/19 Free for Kindle.
Definitely Murder Mystery, not Sci-Fi, although it certainly has Steampunkish elements, such as "mechanicals". I think fans of Historical Murder Mysteries would enjoy this, I sure did.
Definitely Murder Mystery, not Sci-Fi, although it certainly has Steampunkish elements, such as "mechanicals". I think fans of Historical Murder Mysteries would enjoy this, I sure did.
July 8, 2019
A Streampunk ordeal
An exciting mystery from the Steampunk world. The story was very entertaining and exciting.The characters were very good and a strong plot and subplots. There was one point in the story where I was completely in tears.
An exciting mystery from the Steampunk world. The story was very entertaining and exciting.The characters were very good and a strong plot and subplots. There was one point in the story where I was completely in tears.
February 5, 2013
A common pit-trap of steampunk literature is to go too grand too quick. What begins as a focused self-contained story suddenly explodes into epic battles and world changing plots. Thankfully this is not the case with Heather Blackwood’s “Hounds of Autumn”, a smart and engrossing contribution to the genre that is both engaging and at times moving.
The narrative plays out as a good old murder mystery in a country house, but with a steampunk spin on the events. The clockwork and steam ingredients are used delicately, sprinkled here and there to improve the flavour of the piece, rather than being the main dish in itself. The focus here is very much on the characters and the sinister plot that unravels with increasing momentum.
I look forward to more steampunk from Heather Blackwood in the future. The world she creates is a pleasing and intriguing one that never loses sight of what it set out to achieve.
The narrative plays out as a good old murder mystery in a country house, but with a steampunk spin on the events. The clockwork and steam ingredients are used delicately, sprinkled here and there to improve the flavour of the piece, rather than being the main dish in itself. The focus here is very much on the characters and the sinister plot that unravels with increasing momentum.
I look forward to more steampunk from Heather Blackwood in the future. The world she creates is a pleasing and intriguing one that never loses sight of what it set out to achieve.
September 5, 2017
My first introduction to Steampunk. Some of the things that happened in this book were unbelievable but this was a enjoyable read and I will read this genre again!
February 5, 2021
Credible steampunk novel of manners. As if H. G. Wells and Jane Austen collaborated on a murder mystery. Pays better attention to Victorian folkways among the gentry than most modern writers.
Requisite misdirection and conflict. Headstrong, but not always right female lead who bucks the traditions of the time, but let’s the reader know that Blackwood at least knows the strictures of propriety that Chloe doesn’t-quite-flaunt.
Dirigibles and steam-powered motorcycles abound. The nickel-cadmium battery and film-that-doesn’t-need-developing subplots are so anachronistic as to be humorous.
Requisite misdirection and conflict. Headstrong, but not always right female lead who bucks the traditions of the time, but let’s the reader know that Blackwood at least knows the strictures of propriety that Chloe doesn’t-quite-flaunt.
Dirigibles and steam-powered motorcycles abound. The nickel-cadmium battery and film-that-doesn’t-need-developing subplots are so anachronistic as to be humorous.
September 8, 2019
Captivated me despite myself. Will read author again. (A Steampunk Mystery) TTS-enabled eBook ©2013 (not a big fan of steampunk historical or steampunk romance. Recommend anyway ... too interesting not to!
January 31, 2013
A very enjoyable romp.
Ok, maybe more of a stealthy tip-toeing around instead of a romp but it's still a good read. I'm a huge fan of Steampunk when it's done well and in the case of HoA it is. Even though a 'mechanical hound' is the primary suspect the plot carries itself. The technology acts to set the mood rather than just trying to impress you with a dizzying array of whirring and bleeping gadgets. You connect at once with the characters and empathize with their dilemma.
The author tries to deal with the problem of a woman being independent in Victorian England without beating you over the head with it. Which is fortunate for me because I have a particular distaste for any mention of a woman needing to 'know her place.' Chloe is a little bit mad scientist and more than just a little bit stubborn. Her husband is a bit old fashioned without being an ass and the family that they are visiting are all just a little bit nuts enough to make things interesting.
Ok, maybe more of a stealthy tip-toeing around instead of a romp but it's still a good read. I'm a huge fan of Steampunk when it's done well and in the case of HoA it is. Even though a 'mechanical hound' is the primary suspect the plot carries itself. The technology acts to set the mood rather than just trying to impress you with a dizzying array of whirring and bleeping gadgets. You connect at once with the characters and empathize with their dilemma.
The author tries to deal with the problem of a woman being independent in Victorian England without beating you over the head with it. Which is fortunate for me because I have a particular distaste for any mention of a woman needing to 'know her place.' Chloe is a little bit mad scientist and more than just a little bit stubborn. Her husband is a bit old fashioned without being an ass and the family that they are visiting are all just a little bit nuts enough to make things interesting.
February 24, 2014
This was a brilliant, steampunk, murder mystery that proved to keep my attention the entire way through. I highly enjoy the main character, Chloe. She reflected attributes of a real woman. The mystery aspect kept me guessing up until the very end. Blackwood has a knack for rich details and storytelling. I plan to read more of her books.
October 9, 2015
In an alternate 1890 England, airships are the common mode of transportation and 'mechanicals' are used to greet and hang visitors coats or to serve tea or a number of other tasks.
Chloe Sullivan is a mechanicals creator and she along with her husband Ambrose and her mechanical cat Giles, are visiting Ambrose's relations in Farnbridge.
Chloe is also looking forward to meeting another female mechanicals creator, Camille Granger, whom she has been writing to for over 3 years.
They are shocked upon arrival at Farnbridge to find that Camille has been killed and the police think her mechanical dog is guilty. Chloe becomes involved in the investigation that
leads to a number of secrets connecting the Grangers and Ambrose's family, the Aynesworth's.
Well written with interesting characters and an interesting premise, I really enjoyed this book. I think any fan of murder mysteries would enjoy it whether you are a fan of steampunk or not.
If you've not read any steampunk, this is a good place to start because at it's core, The Hounds of Autumn is a good mystery story.
Chloe Sullivan is a mechanicals creator and she along with her husband Ambrose and her mechanical cat Giles, are visiting Ambrose's relations in Farnbridge.
Chloe is also looking forward to meeting another female mechanicals creator, Camille Granger, whom she has been writing to for over 3 years.
They are shocked upon arrival at Farnbridge to find that Camille has been killed and the police think her mechanical dog is guilty. Chloe becomes involved in the investigation that
leads to a number of secrets connecting the Grangers and Ambrose's family, the Aynesworth's.
Well written with interesting characters and an interesting premise, I really enjoyed this book. I think any fan of murder mysteries would enjoy it whether you are a fan of steampunk or not.
If you've not read any steampunk, this is a good place to start because at it's core, The Hounds of Autumn is a good mystery story.
January 3, 2014
U P D A T E ! ! ! U P D A T E ! ! ! U P D A T E ! ! ! 2014-01-03
My full review is now available. Therefore I moved my first impression to the end of this box. The following text has been posted on my blog Edi's Book Lighthouse and in modified version over at Aamazon where I post reviews under the nickname brienneselwyn.
================ Full Review ============================
My Expectations
I read a lot of Steampunk novels in the past years and based on that I have common expectations. Steampunk elements should be part of the story and no decorative parts. I like either a Victorian background or an alternate history setting. Romance is not really my cup of tea. Therefore I hoped that romance would not play an important and extended role.
The Delivery
The 270 pages are divided into 20 consecutively numbered chapters. This is quite short compared to the books I normally read. I know that quantity does not say anything about quality.
When I read the words hounds and moor, The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came immediately up in my mind. But beside hound and moor there are no further similarities. Hounds of Autumn is a unique story.
The title of the book can be interpreted either as the shortest possible summary or as a synonym for Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan who both play important roles. In fact Chloe is the main character. She is young, at least 20 years younger as her husband. I will come back to that fact later.
Chloe is an extraordinary person for her time. England in 1890 means Victorian England.
"When a Victorian man and woman married, the rights of the woman were legally given over to her spouse. Under the law the married couple became one entity where the husband would represent this entity, placing him in control of all property, earnings and money. In addition to losing money and material goods to their husbands, Victorian wives became property to their husbands," [Source]
One could say women have been the slaves of her husbands.
How did middle and upper class women spent their time?
"Women's leisure activities included in large part traditional pastimes such as reading, embroidery, music, and traditional handicrafts." [Source]
Author Heather Blackwood shows her talent in many ways. Her vivid presentation of the Victorian society is excellent and matches superb with the unique and fresh main characters in in form of Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan.
Ambrose has been a good friend of Chloe's family and the marriage - including a contract - gave Chloe the opportunity to do something outrageous for a Victorian woman: to read what she wants and to invent and build mechanicals. Her latest invention is the mechanical cat name Giles which is always good for a surprise.
Ambrose admires Chloe's intelligence, straightforwardness and endurance. He defends/saves her whenever necessary. Chloe enjoys a freedom which stands in conflict with society rules. They respect and also love each other which is shown in small gestures, something your recognise when you keep an eye on long term married couples who are still in love.
Without this unorthodox marriage the story would miss a lot.
While reading this charming story - don't get me wrong, there are scenes where Heather Blackwood pulls no punches - I enjoyed the balanced delivery of information which always light your imagination and avoids information overload.
I do not want to draw the curtain over the fact that humor, superstition, sense of responsibility and fog found their appropriate place within the book.
Finally I must admit that all my educated guesses to identify the murderer before the final revelation failed. I highly appreciated that the reader most of the time does not know more than Chloe.
The Inevitable
It was exactly my cup of tea. An intelligent heroine, a most entertaining story with twist and turns, a mystical touch, an excellent description of Victorian society and a bittersweet end,
The writing style supports the story at all points. Within seconds I forgot my surroundings and followed Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan on her way to the story.
If you look for a good Steampunk book which
- delivers suitable action beyond airship battles
- denies the endless ostentation of Steampunk gadgets
- present you an extraordinary woman her tries to hold her ground in Victorian society
- ends bittersweet
- bewitch with emotion and eerily-beautiful moments
then you should give Hounds of Autumn a try.
These are my totally subjective closing words
For me Hounds of Autumn cries for a sequel starring the extraordinary and inimitable Chloe Sullivan written by the talented and convincing Heather Blackwood !!!
========================= First Impression ============================
I like steampunk. I like the Victorian era. I like mysteries.
This was a surprising good read. It was exactly my cup of tea.
A fascinating female main character. A lot of twists and turns. The book breathe the Victorian era and the steampunk elements are integrated into the story.
I hope and wish that Heather Blackwood will write more steampunk mysteries.
My full review is now available. Therefore I moved my first impression to the end of this box. The following text has been posted on my blog Edi's Book Lighthouse and in modified version over at Aamazon where I post reviews under the nickname brienneselwyn.
================ Full Review ============================
My Expectations
I read a lot of Steampunk novels in the past years and based on that I have common expectations. Steampunk elements should be part of the story and no decorative parts. I like either a Victorian background or an alternate history setting. Romance is not really my cup of tea. Therefore I hoped that romance would not play an important and extended role.
The Delivery
The 270 pages are divided into 20 consecutively numbered chapters. This is quite short compared to the books I normally read. I know that quantity does not say anything about quality.
When I read the words hounds and moor, The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle came immediately up in my mind. But beside hound and moor there are no further similarities. Hounds of Autumn is a unique story.
The title of the book can be interpreted either as the shortest possible summary or as a synonym for Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan who both play important roles. In fact Chloe is the main character. She is young, at least 20 years younger as her husband. I will come back to that fact later.
Chloe is an extraordinary person for her time. England in 1890 means Victorian England.
"When a Victorian man and woman married, the rights of the woman were legally given over to her spouse. Under the law the married couple became one entity where the husband would represent this entity, placing him in control of all property, earnings and money. In addition to losing money and material goods to their husbands, Victorian wives became property to their husbands," [Source]
One could say women have been the slaves of her husbands.
How did middle and upper class women spent their time?
"Women's leisure activities included in large part traditional pastimes such as reading, embroidery, music, and traditional handicrafts." [Source]
Author Heather Blackwood shows her talent in many ways. Her vivid presentation of the Victorian society is excellent and matches superb with the unique and fresh main characters in in form of Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan.
Ambrose has been a good friend of Chloe's family and the marriage - including a contract - gave Chloe the opportunity to do something outrageous for a Victorian woman: to read what she wants and to invent and build mechanicals. Her latest invention is the mechanical cat name Giles which is always good for a surprise.
Ambrose admires Chloe's intelligence, straightforwardness and endurance. He defends/saves her whenever necessary. Chloe enjoys a freedom which stands in conflict with society rules. They respect and also love each other which is shown in small gestures, something your recognise when you keep an eye on long term married couples who are still in love.
Without this unorthodox marriage the story would miss a lot.
While reading this charming story - don't get me wrong, there are scenes where Heather Blackwood pulls no punches - I enjoyed the balanced delivery of information which always light your imagination and avoids information overload.
I do not want to draw the curtain over the fact that humor, superstition, sense of responsibility and fog found their appropriate place within the book.
Finally I must admit that all my educated guesses to identify the murderer before the final revelation failed. I highly appreciated that the reader most of the time does not know more than Chloe.
The Inevitable
It was exactly my cup of tea. An intelligent heroine, a most entertaining story with twist and turns, a mystical touch, an excellent description of Victorian society and a bittersweet end,
The writing style supports the story at all points. Within seconds I forgot my surroundings and followed Chloe and Ambrose Sullivan on her way to the story.
If you look for a good Steampunk book which
- delivers suitable action beyond airship battles
- denies the endless ostentation of Steampunk gadgets
- present you an extraordinary woman her tries to hold her ground in Victorian society
- ends bittersweet
- bewitch with emotion and eerily-beautiful moments
then you should give Hounds of Autumn a try.
These are my totally subjective closing words
For me Hounds of Autumn cries for a sequel starring the extraordinary and inimitable Chloe Sullivan written by the talented and convincing Heather Blackwood !!!
========================= First Impression ============================
I like steampunk. I like the Victorian era. I like mysteries.
This was a surprising good read. It was exactly my cup of tea.
A fascinating female main character. A lot of twists and turns. The book breathe the Victorian era and the steampunk elements are integrated into the story.
I hope and wish that Heather Blackwood will write more steampunk mysteries.
May 5, 2020
A steampunk mystery that achieves a full head of steam in the last third of the book.
'Hounds Of Autumn' was a lottery book for me. I needed a book with 'Autumn' in the title as part of a reading challenge. I'd never read Heather Blackwood before and I haven't really read much steampunk. It turned out to be a (small) lottery win for me and I'll certainly be reading more of Heather Blackwood's books.
For the first two-thirds of the book, I had 'Hounds Of Autumn' tagged as an engaging cosy mystery set in a steampunk version of Victorian England. There were airships and cunningly crafted, battery-powered, semiautonomous mechanicals, mysterious goings-on on the Moor and married women being very much in the power of their husbands. Our heroine was an inventor of mechanicals and has a much older, moderately wealthy, botanist husband who indulges her unwomanly fascination with automata.
The only things that marred my enjoyment were small slips that showed me that Heather Blackwood isn't from England. The first was early in the book when, on finding a dead body in a bog in the Moor, she wrote that it was a miracle that the body had been found at all,,,
´,,,in the thousands of miles of bogs and marshes’
By English standards, that’s an impossibly large number.
Dartmoor National Park is 368 square miles. Yellowstone National Park is almost ten times that size at 3,468 square miles. If you’re used to US National Parks, Dartmoor must seem like something you’d miss if you blinked, but then, the whole of England is 50,337 square miles, so about the size of Alabama.
Then there were problems with speech. An Englishwoman would no more describe tea as 'hot tea' than a Canadian would describe hockey as 'ice hockey'. Nor would an Englishman, on receipt of a loan, promises to 'repay every cent.' rather than repaying every penny. These were small things but they kept bouncing me out of the story.
Then, suddenly, in the last third of the book, 'Hounds Of Autumn' found its legs and became a more serious and more powerful book. It wasn't cosy any more. It was violent and deadly, driven by jealousy, hatred, shame and long-kept secrets. It became centred around very powerful, very decisive women and the conflicts between them.
I found myself turning the pages, keen to know what happened next, and being pleasantly surprised at the punch that the plot and the characters delivered.
As far as I can see, 'Hounds Of Autumn' is a standalone novel, so I can't follow our heroine's adventures further, but I have bought 'The Clockwork Cathedral' (isn't that an attention-getting title?) which is the first book in 'The Time Corps Chronicles' so that I can read more of Heather Blackwood's books.
'Hounds Of Autumn' was a lottery book for me. I needed a book with 'Autumn' in the title as part of a reading challenge. I'd never read Heather Blackwood before and I haven't really read much steampunk. It turned out to be a (small) lottery win for me and I'll certainly be reading more of Heather Blackwood's books.
For the first two-thirds of the book, I had 'Hounds Of Autumn' tagged as an engaging cosy mystery set in a steampunk version of Victorian England. There were airships and cunningly crafted, battery-powered, semiautonomous mechanicals, mysterious goings-on on the Moor and married women being very much in the power of their husbands. Our heroine was an inventor of mechanicals and has a much older, moderately wealthy, botanist husband who indulges her unwomanly fascination with automata.
The only things that marred my enjoyment were small slips that showed me that Heather Blackwood isn't from England. The first was early in the book when, on finding a dead body in a bog in the Moor, she wrote that it was a miracle that the body had been found at all,,,
´,,,in the thousands of miles of bogs and marshes’
By English standards, that’s an impossibly large number.
Dartmoor National Park is 368 square miles. Yellowstone National Park is almost ten times that size at 3,468 square miles. If you’re used to US National Parks, Dartmoor must seem like something you’d miss if you blinked, but then, the whole of England is 50,337 square miles, so about the size of Alabama.
Then there were problems with speech. An Englishwoman would no more describe tea as 'hot tea' than a Canadian would describe hockey as 'ice hockey'. Nor would an Englishman, on receipt of a loan, promises to 'repay every cent.' rather than repaying every penny. These were small things but they kept bouncing me out of the story.
Then, suddenly, in the last third of the book, 'Hounds Of Autumn' found its legs and became a more serious and more powerful book. It wasn't cosy any more. It was violent and deadly, driven by jealousy, hatred, shame and long-kept secrets. It became centred around very powerful, very decisive women and the conflicts between them.
I found myself turning the pages, keen to know what happened next, and being pleasantly surprised at the punch that the plot and the characters delivered.
As far as I can see, 'Hounds Of Autumn' is a standalone novel, so I can't follow our heroine's adventures further, but I have bought 'The Clockwork Cathedral' (isn't that an attention-getting title?) which is the first book in 'The Time Corps Chronicles' so that I can read more of Heather Blackwood's books.
July 2, 2014
I enjoyed this book very much! Steampunk at it's bare core. Lots of "mechanicals" driven by steam or coal. Rudimentary design of an electrical battery, murder, intrigue, draconian marriage practices (contracts? for real), a steam powered bicycle (just don't put any body parts over the exhaust), and country English village in the moors. Those are a few morsels that should somewhat whet your appetite for this book. I really loved that there was no romance. The main character even ignores this about herself and never even addresses it. Marriage = friendship/partnership. It's very refreshing with all the YA romance steampunk books out there. VERY REFRESHING. (I can't emphasize this enough.)
If at first you feel the book moves a bit slow just keep reading... it's setting up the plot, setting, and characters. It's worth it and how most stories are traditionally told. It builds drama and suspense. Not everything is instant gratification. :)
If at first you feel the book moves a bit slow just keep reading... it's setting up the plot, setting, and characters. It's worth it and how most stories are traditionally told. It builds drama and suspense. Not everything is instant gratification. :)
October 7, 2025
I acquired this one as a Kindle freebie a long time ago, and it seemed seasonably appropriate. It’s a steampunk murder mystery set in rural Victorian England, where a woman who builds and designs machines finds the body of a fellow machinist and friend-by-correspondence while traveling with her husband to see relatives. Her friend’s animatronic dog is running loose on the moors and suspected to be the culprit, but she doesn’t believe that, and tries to find the dog both to study the design and to prove its innocence. The authors did well at establishing the main character, Chloe, as an intelligent, independent-minded woman while still having to navigate the constraints of polite society and the wishes of her husband (who was generally open minded and supportive, since he was also scientific in his own right, but had reasonable concerns about things like her wandering the moors alone at night with an unsolved murder investigation going on.) Of course the family has a lot of secrets, and the body count starts rising. There were a few loose ends, namely with “Mad Maggie” and what she gives Chloe. There is also a potential trigger warning involving a child death. I wouldn’t read it a second time, but it was interesting enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2017
This was my first full length steampunk read. I read this for a challenge in which we are expanding our horizons in genres. I really enjoyed this! Once I got used to the "mechanicals" aspect, I really became involved in the mystery within the book. Would I read steampunk again? You bet! :)
June 28, 2017
My first Steampunk and I know it wont be my last. Loved the mystery and tinkering women.
I am off to find my dream mechanical cat and dog I may even look for a pony!!
I am off to find my dream mechanical cat and dog I may even look for a pony!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2013
Excellent historical fiction, a good portrait of family/society dynamics for the time period. Also a nice venture into Steampunk. Chloe is sort of a steampunk character in a world that has not caught up. I like that Chloe makes "mechanicals" and that most homes have serving or household mechanicals, but the writer makes it clear that Chole is unusual in her pursuits and that while London may be more accustomed to her ways of thinking and the oddities she creates, the country town of Dartmoor is not.
Chloe is a woman ahead of her time, tinkering, reading all sorts of books, riding a steamcycle in a split skirt, and her relationship with her wonderful husband Ambrose is also very unique for the times. Ambrose is twenty years older than Chloe, and was a friend of her Father's before Chloe's family fell into financial difficulties. Chloe accepted his proposal of marriage because of his agreement to allow her to choose her own reading material, keep a laboratory in the house, and create whatever she pleases.
The story opens on the train to Dartmoor, home to Ambrose's brother, nieces and nephews. Ambrose and Chloe are going to stay with Ambrose's family, and Chloe is looking forward to meeting Mrs. Chamille Granger, her pen-pal and fellow inventor. However, Chloe arrives to the sight of Chamille's body lifeless on the road, freshly dug out of the moor. The prime suspect is a mechanical, and the police must enlist Chloe's help in understanding the workings of mechanicals. As the story progresses, family secrets come to light and more mysterious death follows. Chloe must use all of her intellect and courage to break the protocols for a lady to try and stop a killer.
Chloe is a woman ahead of her time, tinkering, reading all sorts of books, riding a steamcycle in a split skirt, and her relationship with her wonderful husband Ambrose is also very unique for the times. Ambrose is twenty years older than Chloe, and was a friend of her Father's before Chloe's family fell into financial difficulties. Chloe accepted his proposal of marriage because of his agreement to allow her to choose her own reading material, keep a laboratory in the house, and create whatever she pleases.
The story opens on the train to Dartmoor, home to Ambrose's brother, nieces and nephews. Ambrose and Chloe are going to stay with Ambrose's family, and Chloe is looking forward to meeting Mrs. Chamille Granger, her pen-pal and fellow inventor. However, Chloe arrives to the sight of Chamille's body lifeless on the road, freshly dug out of the moor. The prime suspect is a mechanical, and the police must enlist Chloe's help in understanding the workings of mechanicals. As the story progresses, family secrets come to light and more mysterious death follows. Chloe must use all of her intellect and courage to break the protocols for a lady to try and stop a killer.
May 2, 2013
I was looking for some reasonably priced escapist literature to read while undergoing chemo and happened upon Hounds of Autumn.
I was not disappointed. Despite my own, personal preference for a bit more emotional turmoil/romance in my period steampunkery, this story of Chloe's trip to Dartmoor with her botanist husband to meet a rare, female colleague kept my interest from start to finish.
This is a true "whodunnit" at a houseparty kind of mystery, although the murdered lady isn't at the house where Chloe stays, the activities of everyone mostly focuses on the house and the local grounds. The way the author weaved historical details along with Chloe's mechanicals was decently done, although sometimes the mechanicals' abilities and impact on economy of the menial mechanicals versus the two "special" ones Chloe and her colleague made were a bit unevenly presented.
Chloe and her husband's relationship was also interesting to follow, and I almost wished for more emotional growth on Chloe's part, to make the ending even more impactful, regarding the kind of wife she is trying to be and Ambrose's part in making that possible. Ditto for Chloe's slow unveilling of her collague's true nature, it seemed she accepted some dark aspects of her colleague quite readily without much thought.
I will seek out any sequel and hope that some of the emotional growth I felt a bit thin here will develop more deeply in subsequent installments of Chloe's story.
This Book's Snack Rating: Sour Cream and Onion Lay's for the creamy goodness of a lovely house party mystery with added steampunkery flavor on decent characters
I was not disappointed. Despite my own, personal preference for a bit more emotional turmoil/romance in my period steampunkery, this story of Chloe's trip to Dartmoor with her botanist husband to meet a rare, female colleague kept my interest from start to finish.
This is a true "whodunnit" at a houseparty kind of mystery, although the murdered lady isn't at the house where Chloe stays, the activities of everyone mostly focuses on the house and the local grounds. The way the author weaved historical details along with Chloe's mechanicals was decently done, although sometimes the mechanicals' abilities and impact on economy of the menial mechanicals versus the two "special" ones Chloe and her colleague made were a bit unevenly presented.
Chloe and her husband's relationship was also interesting to follow, and I almost wished for more emotional growth on Chloe's part, to make the ending even more impactful, regarding the kind of wife she is trying to be and Ambrose's part in making that possible. Ditto for Chloe's slow unveilling of her collague's true nature, it seemed she accepted some dark aspects of her colleague quite readily without much thought.
I will seek out any sequel and hope that some of the emotional growth I felt a bit thin here will develop more deeply in subsequent installments of Chloe's story.
This Book's Snack Rating: Sour Cream and Onion Lay's for the creamy goodness of a lovely house party mystery with added steampunkery flavor on decent characters
April 2, 2013
I sometimes despair of e-publishing. It seems like it's just too easy for authors to get published these days and I've seen a lot of books of late that should never have made it to print.
Then I run into books like this one and my faith in reading gets renewed.
"Hounds of Autumn" is a great blend of mystery, romance, and murder set in a beautiful Gothic setting in Dartmoor. The steampunk elements blend in perfectly...it's not a mechanist's dream but neither do the machines run away with the story.
Chloe, her mechanical cat Giles, and her husband, Ambrose, are off to the Moors to visit some of Ambrose extended family. But the run into murder when one of Chloe's friends turns up dead. Meanwhile it seems things are not quite as respectable in the Aynesworth house as the family makes themselves out to be.
While this story does draw some inspiration from Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles, it's not a rewrite of that story by any stretch of the imagination. There are plenty of suspects to shift through, secrets to uncover and scandals to be brought to light, all the while the police content themselves with seeking out the mechanical hound they feel to have caused the death of Camille Granger.
I read this in one day - I didn't want to put it down - and I'd love to see more of Chloe and Giles in future stories. Heather Blackwood did a fabulous job on her initial offering, and I can't wait to see her next story!
Then I run into books like this one and my faith in reading gets renewed.
"Hounds of Autumn" is a great blend of mystery, romance, and murder set in a beautiful Gothic setting in Dartmoor. The steampunk elements blend in perfectly...it's not a mechanist's dream but neither do the machines run away with the story.
Chloe, her mechanical cat Giles, and her husband, Ambrose, are off to the Moors to visit some of Ambrose extended family. But the run into murder when one of Chloe's friends turns up dead. Meanwhile it seems things are not quite as respectable in the Aynesworth house as the family makes themselves out to be.
While this story does draw some inspiration from Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles, it's not a rewrite of that story by any stretch of the imagination. There are plenty of suspects to shift through, secrets to uncover and scandals to be brought to light, all the while the police content themselves with seeking out the mechanical hound they feel to have caused the death of Camille Granger.
I read this in one day - I didn't want to put it down - and I'd love to see more of Chloe and Giles in future stories. Heather Blackwood did a fabulous job on her initial offering, and I can't wait to see her next story!
October 28, 2014
This book sounded right up my alley, but I found myself disappointed. Yes, it's Steampunk, but unless an alternate societal development has been laid out (like in the Iron Seas series), then I expect societal relationships to be similar to historical ones. The heroine was appropriately constricted, but other than that her behavior and comments were unrealistic. First of all, just because her father lost money doesn't mean she is lower class. Second, the police would never have interested with members of the upper classes in that manner. Third, her wandering around on her own, at night, was unreal and incredibly stupid. Fourth, a young man wouldn't threaten to beat up his fiance's former master in a public setting, especially not in front of a lady. There were just too many gaps and the story lagged in the middle. While the mystery had a neat ending, it felt like it came out of nowhere and the heroine had to do too many unbelievable things. And what happened to her husband seemed completely unnecessary.
June 22, 2013
After seeing this book on pinterest via Heather Blackwood herself, I knew I had to have this book. Unfortunately, I only posses said book on my Kindle rather than in physical form (nothing can replace the SMELL of a book). I hate giving out spoilers or too detailed of a synopsis, I feel that takes away some of the magic of discovering the book for one's self. Just know this:
This book was unlike anything I expected. It did not follow the typical stereotypes of the Steampunk genre, there was actual RESEARCH and HISTORY involved (or at least very cleverly placed made up segments of history). This was not the usual careless mashing together of futuristic gadgets and mechanics in a Supernatural/Victorian setting. Hounds of Autumn is a refreshing take on the now popular genre.
An independent and clever woman as the title character who holds her own ground is a rarity in today's world of 'Damsels in Distress'. Plus, Chloe, our heroine, has a marvelous, mechanical cat by the name of Giles. If that tidbit does not grab your attention, I don't know what will.
This book was unlike anything I expected. It did not follow the typical stereotypes of the Steampunk genre, there was actual RESEARCH and HISTORY involved (or at least very cleverly placed made up segments of history). This was not the usual careless mashing together of futuristic gadgets and mechanics in a Supernatural/Victorian setting. Hounds of Autumn is a refreshing take on the now popular genre.
An independent and clever woman as the title character who holds her own ground is a rarity in today's world of 'Damsels in Distress'. Plus, Chloe, our heroine, has a marvelous, mechanical cat by the name of Giles. If that tidbit does not grab your attention, I don't know what will.
November 28, 2013
I’ll admit it, I love the steampunk genre, and this book doesn’t disappoint. In addition, this book is very compelling murder mystery story in its own right. In fact, the murder mystery is really what drives the story. The mystery is compelling, interesting, and puzzling right up until the end.
The hero of the book, Chloe Sullivan, is the perfect example of a strong female heroine. She is resourceful, intelligent, and strong-willed. The police seem to be botching the investigation of her friend’s death, so Chloe takes it upon herself to do a little investigation of her own.
Now, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I won’t say any more. I will say I read this book in a single day, staying up until the wee hours of the morning because I was so engrossed in the story.
Five stars. This book will appeal to both fans of mystery novels and to fans of steampunk. I’m definitely going to look for more by this author.
The hero of the book, Chloe Sullivan, is the perfect example of a strong female heroine. She is resourceful, intelligent, and strong-willed. The police seem to be botching the investigation of her friend’s death, so Chloe takes it upon herself to do a little investigation of her own.
Now, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I won’t say any more. I will say I read this book in a single day, staying up until the wee hours of the morning because I was so engrossed in the story.
Five stars. This book will appeal to both fans of mystery novels and to fans of steampunk. I’m definitely going to look for more by this author.
March 27, 2014
This was my second steampunk novel and it was very different from the first. It is set in 1890 England and the main character is Chloe Sullivan. Chloe and her naturalist husband, Ambrose, are visiting his sister's family in the Dartmouth Moors. Chloe is skilled in building mechanical devices and has been corresponding with another enthusiast there who she is looking forward to meeting and sharing ideas. Chloe has created an amusing mechanical cat as her companion, but the other woman has created a more advanced hound with a high tech power source that Chloe very much wants to examine. Upon arrival she is shocked and saddened to find that her friend has been murdered. The main suspects of the local police are the husband and the hound. Chloe makes it her mission to find out who murdered her friend and to find the hound before the police can destroy it.
July 27, 2013
I liked this book because it was totally unlike anything I'd read before (with the glaring exception of The Hound of the Baskervilles, except it's actually totally different, you'll see). I got this as a free kindle download and I can't remember what I *thought* it was about, but when I started reading it and she had a robot cat it was clear I was totally wrong.
It's actually a really good book, it's original, and the plot (eventually) made sense to me. Would definitely recommend it, it's a weird one, but worth it.
EDIT: I'm reading other reviews and learning it's 'steampunk'. You learn something new every day.
It's actually a really good book, it's original, and the plot (eventually) made sense to me. Would definitely recommend it, it's a weird one, but worth it.
EDIT: I'm reading other reviews and learning it's 'steampunk'. You learn something new every day.
March 7, 2014
A great, suspenseful thriller with a poignant love story at its heart! Set in a steampunk version of England, Chloe Sullivan is an oddity in upper-crust society, a woman who would rather play with engines than play the piano or sew. Her older, indulgent husband encourages and supports her in her endeavors even when danger threatens and a fellow female scientist is killed. The oddity of Chloe's interests is a little heavy-handed, but the unexpected twist that ultimately reveals the murder was both shocking and moving. I won't share the details, but it moved me to tears! Highly recommend as both steampunk and just good story!
April 17, 2015
Amazon Freebie. This is sort of my first introduction to steampunk but I think it was really well-done. The author did a good job of making me feel immersed in the world without too much exposition, the story was engaging, and I was intrigued by the mystery all the way through. This may be my favorite "surprise" book of the year so far.
It's about a young, married woman who happens to be a great inventor of mechanicals. I really liked the "woman in a man's world" dynamic, which I thought was done well without being overdone. It made me feel immersed in an alternate history of the 1800s. It even tugged at my heartstrings a couple of times. Highly recommended!
It's about a young, married woman who happens to be a great inventor of mechanicals. I really liked the "woman in a man's world" dynamic, which I thought was done well without being overdone. It made me feel immersed in an alternate history of the 1800s. It even tugged at my heartstrings a couple of times. Highly recommended!
September 4, 2013
Ms Blackwood has created a book to keep you intrigued and reading from the beginning to the end.
The story is well developed with enough description to allow you to see the story, but not bog you down. Her description of the mechanical engineering and operations of the different machines are just enough to paint the picture without becoming overly technical. It made me want a mechanical cat like she has claws and all.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and a strong heroine. I would love to read many more books by Ms Blackwood.
The story is well developed with enough description to allow you to see the story, but not bog you down. Her description of the mechanical engineering and operations of the different machines are just enough to paint the picture without becoming overly technical. It made me want a mechanical cat like she has claws and all.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, and a strong heroine. I would love to read many more books by Ms Blackwood.
December 29, 2013
I read this in one sitting. I kept telling myself I'd read "just one more chapter", but when I did so, I had to keep going. The first couple of chapters moved a bit slowly, as characters and settings were established, but from there it took off and carried me along like a runaway train.
The murder mystery caught me by surprise, in that I didn't figure out who the culprit was, nor did I see some of the victims coming.
If you like steampunk, historical-fiction, and mysteries, this is definitely one to try.
The murder mystery caught me by surprise, in that I didn't figure out who the culprit was, nor did I see some of the victims coming.
If you like steampunk, historical-fiction, and mysteries, this is definitely one to try.
June 2, 2014
I was recently introduced to goodreads by a friend who also gave me Hounds of Autumn, which he had won on this site. When I began reading I said "Oh no, not a science fiction novel", but as I read on I became quite intrigued with Heather's novel. I couldn't put it down. Having studied that period of literature at university, the setting and characters drew me in quickly. I'd recommend the book to anyone who likes a good period mystery. It has everything - setting, character, romance - a thoroughly good summer read.
March 12, 2013
I confess I didn't expect much when I picked up this book, but it immediately grabbed me, pulled me in, and didn't let go. The story seems to be inspired by The Hound of the Baskervilles, but the plot goes in fascinating directions of its own. The mix of alternate history, steampunk, and mystery is handled very deftly. But be warned, the author pulls no punches! I really hope Blackwood writes more about the adventures of Chloe.
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