Curse of Bronze

The Family Cursebreakers #1

by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Who cursed the celebrated cursebreaker Charlotte Hathaway, right in the middle of the Eldritch Library?

Bella Hathaway is on the case after inheriting her aunt's townhouse full of dangerous artefacts and talking teapots. Only problem? She's not a cursebreaker. Bella has always been the quiet member of the daredevil Hathaway family, translating magical languages, wearing sensible skirts and avoiding perilous adventure.

With the help of the beast next door and his sprawling library, it's time for Bella to step up to her family legacy, translate an untranslatable demon language, locate two archaeologists who went missing twenty-five years earlier, and figure out exactly why her aunt teamed up with a gang of gargoyle-stealing werewolves.

Bella Hathaway is out of her element, but she's not going to let that stop her from solving this cold-blooded crime.

A cozy fantasy series with vintage vibes and pointy teeth, from the author of Tea & Sympathetic Magic and Time of the Cat.

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Dark Academia, Alternate History

134 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 2020

About the author

Tansy Rayner Roberts is a fantasy and science fiction author who lives in southern Tasmania, somewhere between the tall mountain with snow on it, and the beach that points towards Antarctica.

Tansy has a PhD in Classics (with a special interest in poisonous Roman ladies), and an obsession with Musketeers.

You can hear Tansy talking about Doctor Who on the Verity! podcast. She also reads her own stories on the Sheep Might Fly podcast.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a delightful, witty fantasy/mystery novella with great magic and characters and some very funny twists on the Beauty & the Beast fairy tale! I got it early as a $2/month Patreon supporter. Honestly, I think anyone who likes my adult stories probably ought to do the same! (And not just because of this one. You'll love the Teacup Magic series, too!)

[Narrelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how to give this more than 5 stars but I’d sure like to try.

*gives it 10 stars*

Lively, funny, with heart and oomph. Plays with several Beauty and the Beast tropes that make it remarkably fresh. Utterly charming and very clever. Delighted to hear there’ll be more!!

[Katharine (Ventureadlaxre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to know SO much more about Bella, and also novellas about her sisters please and thank you.

[Mara Zobrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had all the elements I like in a cozy fantasy book - I loved that the main character studies linguistics and I felt like the world the author built was rich and full of fun characters. This book clips along and is in general a fun read.

[Clarissa Gosling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a joy to read. Fun, engaging, with lively characters and wit. I could barely put it down.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun gaslamp fantasy novella about Bella Hathaway who inherits her famous curse breaking aunt's house after she is murdered. Bella's first task is to find the murderer.

I really loved that Bella was a translator and a scholar of magical languages and that the plot hinged on magical linguistics and the language of the gargoyles. There’s a Beauty and the Beast twist to this as well although no romance. Overall, it’s just a terrifically fun story with a lot of creative world building details (furniture cursed to talk, Minotaurs, tomb raiders) and a satisfying mystery. I would love to see more stories in this world.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing and beautifully paced!

I haven’t been this excited about an imaginary world in ages. I’m very, very much hoping she turns this into a new series. Fingers crossed!

Belle comes from a family of adventurous individuals, including one sister who is a duchess and daredevil and another sister who is a war correspondent. Belle, however, is content to live in her little cottage in the country translating books in the many magical languages she knows. Then with no warning she is chosen to become the family’s new curse breaker. 

This mystery takes place in a most magical land. Her new home in the city is filled with dangerous cursed objects, as well as furniture that talks to her and feeds her. Plus her new neighbor’s home is a large library and the librarian seems to be a well dressed lion.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this short story that I received when signing up for Tansy Rayner Robert's newsletter. Everything about it was perfect. I haven't been this excited about an imaginary world or the characters in it since....I can't remember when! I very much hope that there will be more stories in The Gargoyle Mysteries series.

[Shaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming novella mystery involving curses and libraries and all kinds of magical beings, much fun.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Janay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely cozy, fantasy novella. Dark Academia vibes for sure. My only con is that I wish it were longer and that we had more time with Bella and the world that was created.

[Alexandrine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun novella! Would love to read more of Bella and her sisters’ adventures


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leanbh Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The protagonist of this Gaslamp fantasy is Bella who inherits her aunt’s house in London in the Lyceum quarter where the Fae live. The inheritance of the house comes with all the cursed objects within from her aunt Charlotte’s very successful career as s curse breaker.

Unfortunately for Bella, she has no skills in curse breaking but id a qualified linguist. The inheritance of the house can only occur with her aunt Charlotte’s death.

Soon, Bella is taken from the comforts of her antiquarian lifestyle and thrust into solving who killed her aunt Charlotte, why and using an unusual method of turning her to bronze.

Final Thoughts

Curse of Bronze was my first book that is read by Robert’s and I really enjoyed the clever mixture of Gaslamp fantasy and murder mystery. The archaeological tomb raiding was an extra bonus of excitement. Well-written, comfortable read and highly enjoyable.

Conclusion

A recommended novel for readers who enjoy Gaslamp fantasy, mystery and humour. The archaeological angle was also well done. A Great read!

[Govno Nichevo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this was an okay interesting little read. Could use another round of editing though.