What Went Wrong With Mrs Milliard's Mech?: An Inspector Ambrose Story

Inspector Ambrose Mysteries #1

by I.H. Laking

If you're a fan of detective stories, look no further! I H Laking's debut novella will wrap you up in the new world of the Empire.


Mrs Milliard is on the verge of financial ruin. With a business deal about to expire unless her mechanical baker remembers his secret recipe, Mrs Milliard turns to Inspector Ambrose for help. But as Ambrose soon discovers, no one in Mrs Milliard's neighbourhood is ready to talk.


Will Inspector Ambrose uncover the truth before Mrs Milliard's midnight deadline? Can he solve a mystery that seems impossible on first inspection? The culprit is closer than it seems, and time is running out.


Join Inspector Ambrose and help him solve the mystery of Mrs Milliard's Mech today!

Genres: Mystery, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Childrens

21 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2014

About the author

I.H. Laking is a Kiwi author who lives in Melbourne, where he writes steampunk fantasy stories for young adults, including the Inspector Ambrose mystery series. Ian is passionate about inspiring youth writers to take their first steps into the wider world of literature.

I.H. Laking draws inspiration for his writing from music, games, and literature: his influences include C. S. Lewis, Philip Pullman, the Final Fantasy series, and the music of Coldplay, Falling Up, and Lorde. He is currently working on the sequel to his Inspector Ambrose series, as well as the upcoming Victorian Speculative Writers Festival.

Reviews

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A steampunk novel set in the capital of The Empire.
In this first story of the series we are introduced to our protagonist, Inspector Ambrose. He is a fastidious perfectionist who likes to have his house in order, his uniform perfect and his shoes shined. Every good detective must have a side-kick and Ambrose has Detective Percy. Said side-kick must be prone to bumbling, sloppiness and lateness but must also be devoted to his job. Percy fits the bill perfectly.

The plot moves along nicely and the language doesn’t try to dumb down the reader whilst also flowing easily for children.

This is a good starting point for younger readers 7 – 12 years to get a taste of a futuristic steampunk mystery.

Reminds me of the Professor Layton video games I love!

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is set in a sort of totalitarian regime in which robots (or "mechs") are an accepted part of society. Despite this backdrop which has dark hints of Orwell, there is a lot of humour provided by the exploits of Inspector Ambrose, aided and abetted by his awkward yet useful assistant Percy.

There's a curious "retro" flavour to this, which is really refreshing. Ambrose is basically a descendant of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes with a liberal dash of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg. The mechs are produced by advanced science which is outlined in simplified terms for the uninitiated reader, and yet they have a mysterious spiritual element which makes them somewhat akin to the golem.

One possibly unintentional bit of humour is provided by some minor characters with the names Mr. and Mrs. Trump.

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story introducing us to the world the author has created as well as a cast of quirky and fun characters. I really like the world this series is set in, it is in some ways very familiar yet has a number of twists that make it intriguing. I am really looking forward to learning more about it and the people that populate it. As far as the mystery goes it is a good one and in the vein of Miss Marple or Poirot, Inspector Ambrose and the efficient Detective Percy get to the truth of the villainy just in time to save the day!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written mystery set in a dystopian world, featuring Inspector Ambrose and his sidekick, Detective Percy. The book was short and interesting and the mystery was well crafted. I enjoyed it and hope to read more by this author.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Quirky"

As soon as you read the title of this offering, you know you're not in for a standard 'by the numbers' story. That's what appealed to me. I downloaded it on the title alone, I didn't bother to look at the cover or the blurb. I wasn't disappointed in the subject matter or the way it was handled. The case to be solved was fairly basic; the characters were just a few degrees off normal and the dialogue matched the odd-ball feel of the whole thing. I've never come across the author before, but I will certainly look for his books again.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quick read is a straightforward mystery assigned to 2 inspectors in a somewhat charming (although there are darker aspects never explored) city modeled on Victorian England. The clever inspectors have to find out what is wrong with Mrs. Milliard's pie making mech. I assume the best audience for this tale would be children, able to read, but before puberty has them seeking deeper works.

[Teddi]

The problem with free kindle books is that you dont realize the length of them (or at least I don't).
Turned out this was just a very short story and an extremely easy mystery to solve. I might have enjoyed the characters in a full length book but short stories are not my thing.

[ReadBecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably squarely in the cozy mysteries genre, with the addition of it being in a steampunk (or more specifically clockwork) styled setting. The story follows Inspector Ambrose and his portly sidekick Detective Percy Portland, as they attempt to find out why Mrs. Milliard's pies are suddenly not turning out right, putting her pie shop at risk!

For what is a fairly short novella easily under 100 pages, the attention to detail is great, truly interesting world building. This varies in that I found so many small things that make the sides of your mouth crinkle, like the fact that Mrs Milliard's grandmother's secret recipe was so secret that she refused to pass it on before she died and instead had a mech made to carry out making pies; that we get a clear layout of the district the shop sits in along with it's colourful neighbors (and the disaster it would be to them if her shop stopped drawing customers); and a detailed rundown on the make-up of a mech. There are also somehow fit into this short tale larger world aspects, where we learn that the possibly ominous Order is headquartered in the Citadel and four guilds fight for control of the White Square at the center of the Empire - this bit had me interested to learn more about this world, but wasn't really further explored in this book, however there are 3 more in the series I expect to see this play out in.

I'm not too sure if this is intended for children (no clear lean that way anyway), but I found it all ages appropriate, in the end the mystery reveal was well done though just a bit simplistic/predictable. Really enjoyed it, I have the rest of the series as well and will definitely be continuing with it.

[M.R. Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty new to the world of steampunk and Mechs but I thoroughly enjoyed this short little detective story featuring Inspector Ambrose and his sidekick Detective Percy. Given the stories introductory feeling I felt the mystery of the Merch was less engaging and a little rushed than it could have been. There wasn't much in the way of substance to the tale and there was no attempt to provide the reader with a red herring or two.

That said, Inspector Ambrose and, to a lesser extent, Detective Percy gave a light story some heart and I'll definitely be looking at the others in the series.

For the super fussy amongst you there are a few spelling mistakes - even instead of ever for example - but overall those things are easy to gloss over.

[Christine J Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been sitting on my Kindle app for well over a year at only a few pages in. I must have picked it up during a free promo as I don't normally buy shorts (Kindle says 38 pages). Or I may have purchased it because I got other free full length books from I.H.Laking during a newsletter signup. The formatting in my edition was a little off-putting, though, with large blocks of text, followed by double white space between paragraphs, and very few breaks for dialogue changes.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, especially the descriptions. It had a pleasant 'Get Smart' and 'Inspector Gadget' feel. I did not see the end twist coming, probably because I forgot it was a short story.

[Krystyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The secret of the pies

A good short story, which should have appeal to any age. He is neat and a bit OCD but loves his job as an Inspector. His partner is the exact opposite but the two work well together. When the local pie shop starts producing pies that are not fit for human consumption the pair are asked to investigate. All the baking in the pie shop is done by a Mech. How could a Mech suddenly forget how to make pies. Will our investigators be able to uncover what is really the cause of the Mech's inability to bake? A clever little read.

[Shane Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a straightforward mystery story, very clearly in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, with the same avoidance of direct violence and a very tidy solution at the end. I read this book to my 5 year old, and he loved it. He did stop me frequently to ask questions, and he was frightened enough for a portion that we had to take a break, but as soon as it was done he asked me to read the next story in the series.

[Sarahanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not in middle school. Not sure that would have helped, in my instance, but I realize I'm not the target audience.

Such a quick book to introduce characters, build a world, lay out & solve a mystery. Result is that none of those things are done very completely.

I have the next book & will read on. The structure may catch up with the ideas.

[Lori Alden Holuta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this read with high hopes, but found the pacing very slow, and the exposition overwhelming. I may come back to it another time, but for now, I had to set it aside half read. Perhaps if I jump ahead past the first book? We shall see. (The cover art is lovely, though!)

[Tabby · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a mystery this story is lacking but the world being laid out has potential. It's possible that the next books in this series can build on that and be better. This is also a very short story so the lack of twists wasn't so bad. All in all not a terrible way to spend a morning reading.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detective story with steampunk elements.

Author freebie. Suitable for all ages. A detective story about a steampunk setting. The world is interesting and suitable for children to read about. I won't reveal the name of the villain.

[Sundeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and nice cozy mystery story. I liked the character of Ambrose and his side-kick Percy. The writing was easy to follow and the pacing was steady, helped by the suspense. The fantasy setting didn't really seem like a good place to live though.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, fun, and a bit quirky little story that is an enjoyable quick read. Recommended read for children and anyone young at heart wanting to pass the time with a smile or two.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery behind What Went Wrong With Mrs. Milliard’s Mech?, by I. H. Laking, is investigated and quickly solved by Inspector Ambrose.

To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.

Mrs. Milliard has a secret pie recipe that’s made her business successful over the years, but as she’s on the verge of selling her business there’s a problem with her baking mech that could bring about her financial ruin. Mrs. Milliard calls for Inspector Ambrose to investigate what might have happened to her mechanical baker. As Ambrose looks into the case and interviews the neighbors, he finds there’s hesitance to tell the entire story but he’ll endeavor to deduce what’s happened while searching for clues to solve this improbable mystery.

A rather simple and swift mystery tale that seems unimaginable at the outset but is quickly resolved without any extraordinary effort. The characters are well described at the outset, such that they are easy to envision, particularly the appearances and personalities of Ambrose and Percy, though they do seem to be on the cliché side of detective (inspector) types. There’s some good groundwork being established within these characters and the mechanically-advanced world filled with mechs serving different functions is quite intriguing, such that further stories may develop into more complex tales and, therefore, become far more satisfying as they’re resolved.

[Will Hoover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although budding independent author I.H. Laking has done quite admirably in this first book in his series of Inspector Ambrose mysteries, which are set amidst the backdrop of a pseudo-Victorian/steam-punk inspired futuristic "Empire,' complete with "mechs" (robots), and a Sherlock Holmes-esque protagonist thrown in for good measure, none of the above really impressed me enough to want to advance to the next volume in the series.

For starters, even though Mr Laking is clearly a highly imaginative writer, and his creation certainly does seem to have a great deal of potential, and despite the fact that I usually eat this kind of stuff up with a big spoon, I found a number of aspects of the world he depicts in the book to be somewhat derivative. For the sake of brevity, I won't go into too much detail here, but let's just say that what brings his mechs to life is pretty darn similar to what makes Hasbro's Transformers tick. Further, Inspector Ambrose and his slovenly (but certainly affable) partner in crime solving daring do sort of come off as a pair of steam-punk Jedi -- without the light sabers, of course. Unfortunately, that also makes them both a bit less interesting, too.

This really could be a great series of books for young readers though, so please don't get me wrong. After all, there are few truly original ideas out there, you know, and it's been that way for a very, very long time. Besides, as they say, imitation really is the most sincere form of flattery. Creativity really is just the art of being able to successfully throw a bunch of seemingly disparate things together that have essentially been done before, and make it all look so shiny new that nobody really notices or even cares. I'm not sure if this book does any of that all that effectively, but then again, at my age, I'm probably not part of Mr Laking's target audience anyway!

I should also probably address the mystery story aspect of 'What Went Wrong with Mrs Milliard's Mech?' The author really does have a good idea here, and this series really does seem to have potential. For me, however, the mystery wasn't particularly mystifying. Of course, I cannot say that I knew from the beginning how the story was going to end, but what bothered me most, was that Inspector Ambrose seemed to be so totally out of the loop for so much of the story, and yet then came to so suddenly solve the case with perhaps a little too much ease.

So, once the most suspicious among the main suspects were introduced, it was painfully obvious that they were the perpetrators of the crime. But then, again, I'm not a young adult reader myself, so I probably shouldn't judge this series by the same standards as the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, for example. For surely, Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson, would have made the whole thing seem a bit more sporting. Oh, well.

Again, this really isn't a bad book by any means. The cover art is nice enough, and even though I personally didn't end up feeling much affinity for the Inspector Ambrose character, I do hope that this series will find a suitable audience, and that young Mr Laking will continue to hone his considerable writing skills. Overall, this seems to be a very good start for this particular author. It's just that tea drinking Inspector Ambrose isn't quite my cup of tea.

[Jameson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title and cover reminded me of mystery stories I read when I was far younger. Encyclopedia Brown was the first one that came to mind.
However, this novel by I.H. Laking is clearly not Encyclopedia Brown. While I hesitate to call it an adult steam punk, it is definitely targeting an older audience than Encyclopedia Brown. Laking’s brief bio in the book’s information indicates that he targets young adults and children.
This story tells the tale of Inspector Ambrose investigating a mystery involving a bakery known for its delicious pork pies suddenly turning out a terrible product. This initially sounded silly to me at first, but as the story unfolded, I learned there was a lot more to it and a little more at stake than just disgusting pies.
I will get my one big gripe out of the way right now. Holy giant walls of text, Batman! The paragraphs in this book were very long and potentially headache inducing. I will skip over articles, forum posts, and other such mediums if the writer posts such large blocks of text.
Fortunately, I found Laking’s writing strong enough that I was able to muddle through it. He had me curious, so I stuck through the story to the end.
My first compliment to the author is how I quickly learned the kind of person that was Inspector Ambrose. In the opening scene, the reader witnesses him battling some stray hair with a comb that prevents him from getting just the perfect part. In frustration, he decides to wear his hat instead. Other than the frustrating hair, his attire and that hat are crisp, clean, and perfect in every way.
Despite being late for work, he takes the time to scan over his apartment to ensure everything is in its place and all is in perfect order. Obviously, this person is the steam punk version of Monica Gellar, a neat freak who puts the neatness before punctuality.
Laking pulled it off again moments later in the book when we meet the inspector’s partner, Percy Portland. I loved that Laking chose Portland as the last name. It is so close to portly, which is exactly what Percy is.
As the two head toward the bakery, the reader learns a bit about the setting. The town is overseen by a governing body known as The Order, and apparently they control a larger empire. I sensed immediately that there is a potential bigger story here that Laking may explore in other books.
For now, the focus was on poor Mrs. Milliard’s pie situation. Because this is a novella, the case is laid out and that cast of suspects introduced in very quick order. The reader must pay close attention to pick up the clues laid before them.
I felt that Ambrose’s questioning and his subsequent investigation seemed rushed and he arrived at a solution a bit too easily. I realize this was probably in part that Laking was writing within the confines of a novella and didn’t have the space to go into deeper details.
Still, I enjoyed the story overall and will consider reading other works by Laking. I would be curious to see what he could do with the looser confines of a full novel.

[BookzBookzBookz · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a world where machines can be in every home, like on The Jetson's, Laking's world is set in a Victorian age. A woman's bakery mech has gone down. A reliable machine given one purpose, to make the famous baked goods for Mrs. Milliard's shop, has suddenly forgotten how to bake! right when Mrs. Milliard was about to sell her shop for a substantial amount. The mystery is afoot! Alons-y!

The story is simple, it's clean and easy to read. It's actually perfect for the middle grader reader. There aren't any illustrations, but the cover is totally cool. It's probably how I found it- I still don't know. What I do know is that this book is part of a series that I'll be reading.

Though there were a few errors, the read is smooth and written very well. I can't say anything negative about it. If you like a simple mystery, surely inspired by Sherlock Holmes, check out What's Wrong With Mrs. Milliard's Mech. I'm off to the next read.

Cheers!
*Full review at: http://bit.ly/MechTrouble

What's Wrong With Mrs. Milliard's Mech?
An Inspector Ambrose Story (Inspector Ambrose Mysteries, Book 1)
I. H. Laking
Published by I. H. Laking with Amazon Digital Services, LLC
2nd Edition, July 2014
21 pages
Children's Books/Science Fiction/Steampunk/Mystery/Detectives

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Amrose Aramis is a detective who likes to be very precise while solving crimes. His partner, Detective Percy, seems like a bumbling fellow, but is a very able person who knows just when to rise to the occasion.

This book is quite slim. I have it on my kindle, so it is hard for me tell how many pages it contains, precisely. But I got through it very fast. It was like a longish short story, or a short novella. It was actually refreshing to be able for finish a book fast and not get drowned in too many details.

The writing is not too fine, but thankfully, it is simple.

The good inspector is called upon by Mrs. Milliard who has a singular problem. Her Mech (a kind of a robot) has stopped producing the tasty pies it was programmed for. She is losing her business fast and is in deep trouble as she may have to sell her diner at a great loss.

After a series of investigation, Ambrose solves the crime. In a juvenile sort of a way, the book was okay. It was not anything great, but nothing too horrendous either.

[Benjamin Spurlock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll admit, the low score I give this book isn't out of any glaring, major problems that I had with it. There weren't any laughably horrible plot swerves, no cringe-worthy editing mistakes, no moments of awfulness that made me turn my face away in disgust.

Rather, this book was a perfect encapsulation of Goodread's two-star ranking. "It was ok."

It's a workable story, about a serviceable steampunk investigatory 'odd couple,' revolving around average steampunk worldbuilding and mores. It was an okay mystery, with an okay cast of characters.

The problem was that this was all it was. Okay. The plot revolved around a shortage of pies. Not even a pie store that had any personal impact to anyone. Just... a pie mystery. Solved in the usual way of mysteries.

There's not really a whole lot more I can say, and that's precisely why this story only gets two stars from me. So, let me echo the rating. It was okay. Not horrible. Not great. Okay. If you want an okay steampunk mystery, this'll do it.

[Jonathan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sweet, an excellent snack of a story to satisfy that mystery craving

I forgot I had picked up this book until I saw the author post on reddit today. I've been looking for a good book to satisfy my mystery craving and no luck until I opened this one up. A quick read before bed and my craving is satisfied...for now. ;-) Looking forward to the rest of them.

The steampunk setting is really cool. It gives it that old English mystery feel but with a mix of some modern technology and sci-fi. I also love the little tidbits dropped here and there that hint at a much bigger world and more major plots to possibly come. I hope to see those story lines fleshed out in future books.

[Rudi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars, as in "It's ok". I'm not sure how I ended up with this on my kindle account, but I finally got around to reading it. It's a mystery/crime story meant for a younger audience, and as that I'm sure it does the job well. The language was good, and it manages to establish the setting in a way that I'm sure was useful for the later books in the series. The mystery part of the book could probably have been more interesting, and I'm sure even the young readers would appriciate more of the information being revealed before the big "reveal" itself. The side kick character has almost no function at all in this book, but maybe he plays a bigger role in a later book. Other than that, I'm sure the book will be appriciated by young readers.

[Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with a steam punk flavor.

This was a well written story about a detective and his partner tackling the problem of a mysterious failure in a pie making robot. The theme is original and I didn't figure it out on my own before hand but I'm not sure I was given the info to solve it. It may require a reread to determine so.

[Charles Chuckles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different

Interesting mix of crime, Victorian style setting and science fiction. Couldn't get Blackadder's Mrs Miggins pie shop out of my head. Good enough to make me investigate more by this author.

[Marcia Witherspoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Loved It!!!!

Great short story and fun to read. I fell in love with Ambrose and Percy right off the bat and was completely fascinated with the quaint little village in which they policed. The people who live in this village were especially interesting. A must read.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clever short story.