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Finishing School #5-7
Delightfully Deadly
We’re pleased to present the signed limited edition, Delightfully Deadly, which contains three standalone novels set in New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger's steampunk Parasolverse.
The novels feature the exploits of graduates of Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy, filled with manners, tricky lady spies, and supernatural creatures taking tea. Spinning off from the Finishing School series, these stories contain a great deal of forward flirtation between sweetheart gentlemen and deadly women. May also involve excessive use of velvet, melodramatic lobsters, and the strategic application of interpretive ballet.
Poison or Protect
In a battle of wits, Preshea may risk her own heart – a terrifying prospect, as she never knew she had one.
ASSASSIN
Lady Preshea Villentia, the Mourning Star, has four dead husbands and a nasty reputation. Fortunately, she looks fabulous in black. What society doesn’t know is that all her husbands were marked for death by Preshea’s employer. And Preshea has one final assignment.
VERSUS SCOTSMAN
It was supposed to be easy, a house party with minimal bloodshed. Preshea hadn’t anticipated Captain Gavin Ruthven – massive, Scottish, quietly irresistible, and… working for the enemy.
Contains plaid, gentlemen eating dainty tea sandwiches, and the strategic application of leather gloves.
Defy or Defend
A vampire hive descending into madness. A beautiful intelligencer with a sparkly plan. The bodyguard who must keep them from killing each other.
SPY
Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, code name Honey Bee, is the War Office's best and most decorative fixer. She's sweet and chipper, but oddly stealthy, and surprisingly effective given the right incentives.
VERSUS KNIGHT
Sir Crispin Bontwee was knighted for his military service, but instead of retiring, he secretly went to work for the War Office. Mostly he enjoys his job, except when he must safeguard the Honey Bee.
Neither one is a vampire expert, but when the Nottingham Hive goes badly Goth, only Dimity can stop their darkness from turning bloody. And only Crispin can stop an enthusiastic Dimity from death by vampire.
In a battle for survival (and wallpaper), Dimity learns that not all that sparkles is good, while Cris discovers he likes honey a lot more than he thought.
Ambush or Adore
London’s greatest and most covert spy tries to escape the man who has always adored her.
INTELLIGENCER
Agatha Woosmoss, the Wallflower, is the greatest intelligencer of her generation. And no one knows she exists. She has been invisible, capable, and cunning for well over four decades. Her greatest skill is in her ability to go forever unnoticed.
Except by one man.
VERSUS INTELLECTUAL
Pillover Plumleigh-Teignmott is a professor of ancient languages at Oxford University. He’s done his best to ignore his training as an Evil Genius and live a quiet life away from politics and intrigue.
With one major exception, Agatha Woosmoss.
When an assignment goes horribly wrong, Agatha must hide and heal. So she goes to ground with the only person who’s always kept her safe, Pillover.
Can Pillover hold onto the deadly woman who always gets away? Will Agatha realize that patience is indeed a virtue, and that perhaps it is good to be noticed by the one who waits?
The novels feature the exploits of graduates of Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy, filled with manners, tricky lady spies, and supernatural creatures taking tea. Spinning off from the Finishing School series, these stories contain a great deal of forward flirtation between sweetheart gentlemen and deadly women. May also involve excessive use of velvet, melodramatic lobsters, and the strategic application of interpretive ballet.
Poison or Protect
In a battle of wits, Preshea may risk her own heart – a terrifying prospect, as she never knew she had one.
ASSASSIN
Lady Preshea Villentia, the Mourning Star, has four dead husbands and a nasty reputation. Fortunately, she looks fabulous in black. What society doesn’t know is that all her husbands were marked for death by Preshea’s employer. And Preshea has one final assignment.
VERSUS SCOTSMAN
It was supposed to be easy, a house party with minimal bloodshed. Preshea hadn’t anticipated Captain Gavin Ruthven – massive, Scottish, quietly irresistible, and… working for the enemy.
Contains plaid, gentlemen eating dainty tea sandwiches, and the strategic application of leather gloves.
Defy or Defend
A vampire hive descending into madness. A beautiful intelligencer with a sparkly plan. The bodyguard who must keep them from killing each other.
SPY
Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, code name Honey Bee, is the War Office's best and most decorative fixer. She's sweet and chipper, but oddly stealthy, and surprisingly effective given the right incentives.
VERSUS KNIGHT
Sir Crispin Bontwee was knighted for his military service, but instead of retiring, he secretly went to work for the War Office. Mostly he enjoys his job, except when he must safeguard the Honey Bee.
Neither one is a vampire expert, but when the Nottingham Hive goes badly Goth, only Dimity can stop their darkness from turning bloody. And only Crispin can stop an enthusiastic Dimity from death by vampire.
In a battle for survival (and wallpaper), Dimity learns that not all that sparkles is good, while Cris discovers he likes honey a lot more than he thought.
Ambush or Adore
London’s greatest and most covert spy tries to escape the man who has always adored her.
INTELLIGENCER
Agatha Woosmoss, the Wallflower, is the greatest intelligencer of her generation. And no one knows she exists. She has been invisible, capable, and cunning for well over four decades. Her greatest skill is in her ability to go forever unnoticed.
Except by one man.
VERSUS INTELLECTUAL
Pillover Plumleigh-Teignmott is a professor of ancient languages at Oxford University. He’s done his best to ignore his training as an Evil Genius and live a quiet life away from politics and intrigue.
With one major exception, Agatha Woosmoss.
When an assignment goes horribly wrong, Agatha must hide and heal. So she goes to ground with the only person who’s always kept her safe, Pillover.
Can Pillover hold onto the deadly woman who always gets away? Will Agatha realize that patience is indeed a virtue, and that perhaps it is good to be noticed by the one who waits?
520 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2022
1 person is currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
Gail Carriger
63 books15.4k followersGail Carriger writes comedies of manners mixed with paranormal romance (and the sexy San Andreas Shifter series as G L Carriger). Her books include the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. She is published in many languages and has over a dozen NYT bestsellers. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea. Join the Chirrup for sneak peaks of upcoming giggles: http://gailcarriger.com/chirrup
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Currently reading
July 3, 20227/3/22: I may have just purchased the omnibus edition bc of Gail's newsletter. Sorry not sorry, wallet.
April 12, 2022
This Edition is one the prettiest in my Collection. I feel like I should read it while wearing the white gloves historians use when touching artifacts. Also I'm very happy with the Customer Service of Subterranean Press. My copy arrived with a bit of scuffying on the cover. I contacted them by email and within an hour I had new copy being dispatched to me. Along with a label to return the damaged one.
Timeline Notes. I've be rereading entire Parasolverse. #Great2022ParasolverseReread
Poison or Protect and Defy or Defend both take place after The Finishing School Series but before the Events of Soulless and the Parasol Protectorate Series. Ambush or Adore weaves together Events of Finishing School Series all the way through to the end of Custard Protocol. I'm making notes of where everything fits in. For right now Ambush or Adore Kindle edition doesn't have Page Numbers but locations. When paperback of Ambush comes out should be able to make a Chart.
For now I'm pausing on Page 482 - Winter 1873 to read Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident and Parasol Protectorate Series. Will come back to this Prior to reading Reticence and returning to page 512 after finishing Reticence.
Timeline Notes. I've be rereading entire Parasolverse. #Great2022ParasolverseReread
Poison or Protect and Defy or Defend both take place after The Finishing School Series but before the Events of Soulless and the Parasol Protectorate Series. Ambush or Adore weaves together Events of Finishing School Series all the way through to the end of Custard Protocol. I'm making notes of where everything fits in. For right now Ambush or Adore Kindle edition doesn't have Page Numbers but locations. When paperback of Ambush comes out should be able to make a Chart.
For now I'm pausing on Page 482 - Winter 1873 to read Meat Cute: The Hedgehog Incident and Parasol Protectorate Series. Will come back to this Prior to reading Reticence and returning to page 512 after finishing Reticence.
March 17, 2022
This is an absolutely beautiful book. I love having these novellas together and will treasure this book.
April 3, 2023
I love both Preshea's and Dimity's stories, but while I do love the bits filled in by Agatha's and Pillover's story, it makes me sad and not in an enjoyable way. I know that it's the journey of Agatha's character, but I hate how long it takes her to get over her issues because it's hurting Pill and she knows it and does it anyway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2022
Scandalously salacious in parts, these novellas are an extraordinary instruction manual in some ways. They are also intrinsically insightful, mapping out a universe where women can be competent, educated, and happy in whichever way they choose—deadly delightful.
April 13, 2022
Love these stories in a beautiful printed edition. And signed by Gail!!! Now I have the delightful task of rereading other books to see how this all fits together!
July 31, 2025
Having three of Mademoiselle Geraldine's former students stories in one collection was wonderful.
Agatha and Pillover's story, in particular, made me tear up fairly often.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews