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Cassie Pengear Mysteries #1
Killing at the Carnival
Cassie Pengear thought a visit to the carnival would be fun: see some shows, eat some sweets, help her landlady’s nephew decide if the cowboy was real or an actor. But then the cowboy shot the volunteer, and he didn’t get up. Now Cassie has a ten-year-old boy insisting the cowboy isn’t a killer and a landlady insisting she help solve the killing at the carnival. A cozy mystery with a steampunk setting.
In a Victorian England that almost existed, a steampunk London where tinkerers and clockwork devices exist alongside handsome cabs and corsets, murder is still solved by traditional observation and intuition. This is the London where American typist Cassandra Pengear finds herself stumbling over corpses and helping Scotland Yard detectives solve murders (although they inexplicably prefer to call it interfering). Follow her adventures in the Cassie Pengear Mystery series, beginning with The Killing at the Carnival.
In a Victorian England that almost existed, a steampunk London where tinkerers and clockwork devices exist alongside handsome cabs and corsets, murder is still solved by traditional observation and intuition. This is the London where American typist Cassandra Pengear finds herself stumbling over corpses and helping Scotland Yard detectives solve murders (although they inexplicably prefer to call it interfering). Follow her adventures in the Cassie Pengear Mystery series, beginning with The Killing at the Carnival.
127 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 4, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
This is a free novella on Amazon book one of seven.
Cassie Pengear is an American in England. She is invited to go to the carnival by her landlady and grandson. While at the carnival having fun there is a murder. Cassie is interview along with other witness but she learns information from a young lad 👦 that is helpful. She then gets involved in a death at a bank. In both cases she is involved in learning the truth. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of cute mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😉😀😡
This is a free novella on Amazon book one of seven.
Cassie Pengear is an American in England. She is invited to go to the carnival by her landlady and grandson. While at the carnival having fun there is a murder. Cassie is interview along with other witness but she learns information from a young lad 👦 that is helpful. She then gets involved in a death at a bank. In both cases she is involved in learning the truth. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of cute mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😉😀😡
February 1, 2016
I was a bit underwhelmed. There was nothing actually wrong with it, and the copy editing was excellent (only one slip that I noticed: "died it black" instead of "dyed"). It was just lacking in suspense.
I realise that a cosy mystery isn't going to have as much suspense as other kinds of mystery, but I didn't feel that it had other great strengths to make up for it, either. The characters were flat, with no real distinguishing features, and the main character had no great stake in solving the mystery. She also seemed to have plenty of time to take away from her work to disobey the inspector (who ritually admonished her not to investigate every time they spoke) and poke around among cooperative informants.
Few red herrings, and I spotted how the murder was done long, long before the detective did.
Also, the cover and blurb promise steampunk. There were a few things powered by steam, but punk was conspicuous by its absence.
I realise that a cosy mystery isn't going to have as much suspense as other kinds of mystery, but I didn't feel that it had other great strengths to make up for it, either. The characters were flat, with no real distinguishing features, and the main character had no great stake in solving the mystery. She also seemed to have plenty of time to take away from her work to disobey the inspector (who ritually admonished her not to investigate every time they spoke) and poke around among cooperative informants.
Few red herrings, and I spotted how the murder was done long, long before the detective did.
Also, the cover and blurb promise steampunk. There were a few things powered by steam, but punk was conspicuous by its absence.
March 21, 2016
This is a good, quick cozy mystery read. However, I wouldn't call it steampunk... The only steampunk things are the mention of steam-powered cabs, and a ticket machine at the carnival that is clear so you can see all the gears and workings inside. The story is ripe with opportunity for steampunkery, but it was missing: The police had no bizarre gadgets for crime solving, the carnival had no special machines or exhibits, and our heroine does not have a penchant for inventing or nifty gadgets or technology.
That being said, this is still a great cozy mystery. I would still check out the rest of the series. It is definitely a good "take a break" kind of read, and appropriate for pretty much all ages.
That being said, this is still a great cozy mystery. I would still check out the rest of the series. It is definitely a good "take a break" kind of read, and appropriate for pretty much all ages.
June 6, 2017
This is a pleasant cozy mystery and a very quick read.
September 7, 2019
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
October 1, 2023
A steampunk cozy mystery set in Victorian London. Cassie takes her 10 year old nephew, Davy to a carnival, where he is excited to see a real cowboy and wants Cassie, who is American to vouch for his authenticity. At the show involving ropes and guns, an audience member is shot dead and the 'cowboy' who is actually from Boston is the prime suspect. Davy is convinced the cowboy is innocent and persuades Cassie to investigate. There were a few steam powered vehicles and mention of airships but the steampunk gadgetry was rather thin on the ground. Cassie was likeable enough as the protagonist, but she didn't have a strong attachment to the crime and the other characters felt a little undevelopped, although it was a novella, so I can understand a lack of development of the characters.
March 31, 2021
I had mixed feelings about this freebie. It was entertaining in a popcorn sort of way. Cassie is likeable enough. You feel dropped into something in media res even though you're not. Cassie is a note taker for a detective and has done sleuthing of her own. We've not seen that because this is book one but Cassie's companions, her landlady and the landlady's nephew make sure everyone knows Cassie is good at detecting.
That comes in handy because their day at the carnival ends up with the cowboy act turning into a murder. I have to say there weren't a lot of suspects but the unraveling of the few there were and the reason for the killing made sense.
What made less sense was the steampunk elements. I had no idea why they were there. They didn't add anything, the story would have been the same without them. So it smacked of laziness in the world building (why does she have a steam powered typewriter? I don't know). It felt more like the author likes the steampunk aesthetic and leaned into it but didn't do it well. It reminds me of the rather mean saying in steampunk that it takes more than 'gluing gears to a hat.' (isn't that were a lot of our cosplay starts? I hate seeing people getting knocked down when they're taking their first steps) that said this felt a lot like that, not really quite there.
I'm not sure I'd buy another of the series but I'd read it if I stumbled over it.
That comes in handy because their day at the carnival ends up with the cowboy act turning into a murder. I have to say there weren't a lot of suspects but the unraveling of the few there were and the reason for the killing made sense.
What made less sense was the steampunk elements. I had no idea why they were there. They didn't add anything, the story would have been the same without them. So it smacked of laziness in the world building (why does she have a steam powered typewriter? I don't know). It felt more like the author likes the steampunk aesthetic and leaned into it but didn't do it well. It reminds me of the rather mean saying in steampunk that it takes more than 'gluing gears to a hat.' (isn't that were a lot of our cosplay starts? I hate seeing people getting knocked down when they're taking their first steps) that said this felt a lot like that, not really quite there.
I'm not sure I'd buy another of the series but I'd read it if I stumbled over it.
January 24, 2016
Cassie Pengear is a typist for the Scotland Yard in this cozy mystery set in a steampunk England. Her landlady's nephew is in town for vacation, so they go to the local travelling carnival show and become witness to a murder during one of the cowboy shows. Cassie is a great lead, smart and intuitive and fun. This was a delight to read, and I'm glad I picked it up.
January 19, 2018
A good who did it set at a carnival.
December 11, 2019
Carnivals aim to entertain, but something a bit darker and deadlier overtakes the mood at the one featured in L. A. Nisula's Killing at the Carnival.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Though it would take her away from her typist work, Cassie Pengear agrees, under the promise of fried dough, to attend a carnival with her landlady's nephew to watch a cowboy show and help determine his genuineness, as a fellow American living in London. When a volunteer is shot during the cowboy's show and a murder investigation into the incident ensues, Cassie's curiosity, and her ten year old companion's insistence that the cowboy isn't a killer, drives her to assist the efforts of a Scotland Yard detective in solving the case.
A murder mystery tale that's light entertainment, the story moves rapidly, if unbelievably, from inciting incident to conclusion; the story itself is fairly standard and predictable, and while Cassie is a seemingly empowered female the characters as a whole seemed too broadly sketched and lacking in depth. The world is not fully realized, leaving the steampunk elements underutilized and hidden far in the background after having been highlighted in the book's summary, making it seem like an extraneous aspect whose primary purpose is to garner a specific reading audience's attention. Presented as the first in the series of adventures that Cassie investigates, there's a sense, from explicit statements in the text, that readers have missed some essential background as characters behave in a fashion that indicates that they expect someone to take a certain action based on previous situations, but as readers are just being introduced to the characters, and world, this familiarity is off-putting as it isn't well-explained or contextualized.
Overall, I'd give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Though it would take her away from her typist work, Cassie Pengear agrees, under the promise of fried dough, to attend a carnival with her landlady's nephew to watch a cowboy show and help determine his genuineness, as a fellow American living in London. When a volunteer is shot during the cowboy's show and a murder investigation into the incident ensues, Cassie's curiosity, and her ten year old companion's insistence that the cowboy isn't a killer, drives her to assist the efforts of a Scotland Yard detective in solving the case.
A murder mystery tale that's light entertainment, the story moves rapidly, if unbelievably, from inciting incident to conclusion; the story itself is fairly standard and predictable, and while Cassie is a seemingly empowered female the characters as a whole seemed too broadly sketched and lacking in depth. The world is not fully realized, leaving the steampunk elements underutilized and hidden far in the background after having been highlighted in the book's summary, making it seem like an extraneous aspect whose primary purpose is to garner a specific reading audience's attention. Presented as the first in the series of adventures that Cassie investigates, there's a sense, from explicit statements in the text, that readers have missed some essential background as characters behave in a fashion that indicates that they expect someone to take a certain action based on previous situations, but as readers are just being introduced to the characters, and world, this familiarity is off-putting as it isn't well-explained or contextualized.
Overall, I'd give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars.
January 17, 2019
Cassie Pengear may not be a detective, per se, but the part-time typist for Scotland Yard seems to find herself in the midst of murder investigations. This time, however, Cassie is one of the witnesses. Everyone saw who pulled the trigger. It was all part of a well-rehearsed act. So, what happened?
Children of all ages love the magic and mystery found within the canvas walls. Genuine Cowboys and Indians demonstrate various tricks of their trades. Snake charmers mesmerize audiences as well as snakes. Diets are put on hold as deep fried foods fill bellies and fresh squeezed lemonade slacks thirst.
Cassie really didn't want to go to the carnival, but how could she say no to the lady she had grown close to. After all, Cassie was an American so obviously she would be able to tell the difference between a real cowboy and an actor. At least, that's what her landlady's nephew believed.
Cassie is a fun character to hang out with - a round of fried dough for all!
Cassie's instincts may inadvertently lead her into trouble, but she is rarely wrong. Her mind is constantly working. As expected, the inspector tries to dissuade the amateur sleuth, but I'm sure we all know how well that works.
Children of all ages love the magic and mystery found within the canvas walls. Genuine Cowboys and Indians demonstrate various tricks of their trades. Snake charmers mesmerize audiences as well as snakes. Diets are put on hold as deep fried foods fill bellies and fresh squeezed lemonade slacks thirst.
Cassie really didn't want to go to the carnival, but how could she say no to the lady she had grown close to. After all, Cassie was an American so obviously she would be able to tell the difference between a real cowboy and an actor. At least, that's what her landlady's nephew believed.
Cassie is a fun character to hang out with - a round of fried dough for all!
Cassie's instincts may inadvertently lead her into trouble, but she is rarely wrong. Her mind is constantly working. As expected, the inspector tries to dissuade the amateur sleuth, but I'm sure we all know how well that works.
August 21, 2018
When Cassie Pengear was asked to accompany her landlady, Mrs. Albright, and her nephew Davy to the carnival, Cassie couldn’t resist the thought of fried dough on the midway. Davy was a big fan of cowboys and looked forward to Cassie telling him if the cowboy in the show was real or not. After all, Cassie was an American and not a native of England, so she should know. But the treat for the three of them turned into a tragedy when the audience participant in the shooting show was killed. Davy was sure the cowboy had not killed the man. After his plea to Cassie, she decided to try her luck at finding the real facts about the shooting. We were treated to details of western acts, costumes, and carnival life while Cassie hunted for clues.
I enjoyed this short novel and the novella which was an added bonus. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
October 9, 2017
Free on kindle/Cozy mystery/quick read
I picked up this book last spring while searching for steampunk books. I liked the cover and it was free. LOL.
I liked the steampunk and mystery elements. However I felt it could use a bit more details and flair in general.
When it came to the steampunk aspect it felt forced. I would have liked more on the mechanics and inner workings. Not just this is steam powered/that is steam powered. When describing the ticket booth the author was off to a good start when adding the little description there, but it fell a bit flat.
Overall I liked the story. I would have liked more details and fantasy.
This is a suitable read for any age.
I picked up this book last spring while searching for steampunk books. I liked the cover and it was free. LOL.
I liked the steampunk and mystery elements. However I felt it could use a bit more details and flair in general.
When it came to the steampunk aspect it felt forced. I would have liked more on the mechanics and inner workings. Not just this is steam powered/that is steam powered. When describing the ticket booth the author was off to a good start when adding the little description there, but it fell a bit flat.
Overall I liked the story. I would have liked more details and fantasy.
This is a suitable read for any age.
June 17, 2020
This was a fun, short, fast-reading cozy mystery and I enjoyed it.
Having the main character be an American in Britain offered some fun moments of "fish-out-of-water" for Cassie and her friends. She was a likable, clever well-written main character to be our sleuth.
The setting of the murder taking place at a carnival also had some interesting enjoyable aspects and I liked that too.
Cassie's continual friendly battle with Inspector Burroughs about her insistence on investigating despite him telling her not to was also a fun component of the story.
Nothing earth-shakingly unique here, but a fun, enjoyable read.
Having the main character be an American in Britain offered some fun moments of "fish-out-of-water" for Cassie and her friends. She was a likable, clever well-written main character to be our sleuth.
The setting of the murder taking place at a carnival also had some interesting enjoyable aspects and I liked that too.
Cassie's continual friendly battle with Inspector Burroughs about her insistence on investigating despite him telling her not to was also a fun component of the story.
Nothing earth-shakingly unique here, but a fun, enjoyable read.
December 2, 2022
Killing at the Carnival (Cassie Pengear Mysteries Book 1) — L.A. Nisula Sept. 8-10, 2022
Cassie Pengear decided to have a little fun and take her landlady’s nephew to a carnival. Davy wants to know f the cowboy at the carnival is real, and since Cassie is from America, she ought to know, right?
However, things turn nefarious when the cowboy shoots his gun and kills a spectator. Cassie is willing to leave it at that, but then Davy insists the cowboy is innocent, sending her on a path to investigate and find the area killer.
Excellent short book with just enough period steampunk descriptions and perfect dialog.
Three stars.
Cassie Pengear decided to have a little fun and take her landlady’s nephew to a carnival. Davy wants to know f the cowboy at the carnival is real, and since Cassie is from America, she ought to know, right?
However, things turn nefarious when the cowboy shoots his gun and kills a spectator. Cassie is willing to leave it at that, but then Davy insists the cowboy is innocent, sending her on a path to investigate and find the area killer.
Excellent short book with just enough period steampunk descriptions and perfect dialog.
Three stars.
June 24, 2017
Told from the perspective of a young woman transplanted to England, I still think it would have been better marketed to the 11 to 14 crowd. But I also think that my 9 year olds will love it! It is brief, and two young boys are instrumental in helping her to find the right people and ask the right questions even though her sometime employer from Scotland Yard kept telling her to stop investigating. I liked the murder mystery, and no spoilers here!
April 18, 2025
This is yet another "new to me" author and it was a fun read. Anytime you mix young boys, cowboys, indians, snake charmers, and murder, you are going to have fun chaos. The characters are vivid, the plot is easily followed, and the premise is finding out how a volunteer was killed in a shooting, when the actor shooting the card out of his hand declared he didn't shoot at him. I most definitely recommend this book.
July 12, 2017
Historical!
I never really understood steam punk until now! (Stop laughing!) Now I get the concept of how everything was run by steam. Taxi, train, house. Even circus. All of it. Strange and wonderful. Thanks a lot!
I never really understood steam punk until now! (Stop laughing!) Now I get the concept of how everything was run by steam. Taxi, train, house. Even circus. All of it. Strange and wonderful. Thanks a lot!
July 22, 2017
Cassie takes Davy a ten year old boy to the carnival and in the cowboy tent they see a cowboy shoot a volunteer or did they? Davy thinks Nick is innocent and Cassie has to prove it. A short story with a murder mystery. It was an ok read and it was free on Amazon.
April 30, 2022
Who did the killing?
A cowboy doing carnival tricks like shooting cards. A nervous volunteer. A typist for Scotland Yard and two little boys interested if the cowboy was real. They had couple airships and steam powered wagon.
A cowboy doing carnival tricks like shooting cards. A nervous volunteer. A typist for Scotland Yard and two little boys interested if the cowboy was real. They had couple airships and steam powered wagon.
July 30, 2024
A good read.
A murder in full view of the audience, who were watching Nick the sharpshooter. I enjoyed the characters who were interesting and each had a pivotal role in the mystery.
A murder in full view of the audience, who were watching Nick the sharpshooter. I enjoyed the characters who were interesting and each had a pivotal role in the mystery.
March 3, 2017
The mystery itself is decent. But trying to figure out the steampunk world distracts from it a bit without contributing. If at least the steam had contributed, it would have worked better.
December 19, 2017
So short, it was almost a short story so hard to evaluate quality.
August 10, 2018
This was a good fast-read.
November 3, 2018
Cute book, interesting look at the circus as it was. Not boring, but mot exactly a page turner. Fun read
December 16, 2021
Well done
The plot in this book was well done and the characters were believable. I was pleased with the writing and conclusion.
The plot in this book was well done and the characters were believable. I was pleased with the writing and conclusion.
January 28, 2022
Enjoyable cozy style. Characters are likeable, mysteries makes sense, no romance. A series that apears to read as stand alones.
May 16, 2022
Basically good story-line but told as an outline. The author needs to flesh out the characters and setting in order to immerse the reader in the story rather than just rushing to the ending.
June 21, 2022
A nice little bit of fluff.
November 20, 2022
I loved the cover, but the story wandered around too much for my liking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews