This is it, my one moment to shine. I’ll make them all love me or die trying. Nothing and nobody will stop me from—Her face slammed into a muscular chest.
(How Miss Constance Haltwhistle and Mr. J.F. Trusdale met, and so began their adventure.)
Take a red-headed arms dealer in a chainmail corset, an American Spy in a cowboy hat, invisible assassins, and a murderous prince in a world powered by steam, and you have the makings of an odd-ball steampunk romance. Elizabeth Chatsworth, a Yorkshire-born writer living in Connecticut, has created a fun romp through the English countryside with her book, The Brass Queen (CamCat Books 2021).
I ordered the Brass Queen after meeting Elizabeth at the online C.O.G.S. Steampunk Expo earlier this year. She was engaging and enjoyed talking about steampunk and writing. During on panel, she read a chapter from her book. Intrigued, I had to order a copy. I wanted to see what further trouble Miss Constance Haltwhistle and Mr. J.F. Trusdale would find themselves in, and most importantly, how were they going to survive?
The story begins with Constance hosting her own coming-out party because she needs a husband quickly or loses her estate. Things don’t go according to the plan (that’s Plan with a capital P.) Despite things going awry, with the help of her loyal family retainers and the “American spy” Trusdale, she manages to make it through the day.
You can’t help liking Constance, even when she is being stubborn about the Plan. She doesn’t give up and makes it work. She is definitely not a shrinking violet waiting to be rescued by the handsome hero.
And what can I say about Trusdale? Like Constance, he has his own secrets, and he becomes all the more lovable with each reveal. And he cuts a fine figure covered in soap bubbles (you’ll just have to read the book.)
Another thing I like about this book is how she separates the three point-of-view (P.O.V.) characters: Constance, Trusdale, and Prince Lucien. Each chapter has a single P.O.V., making the narrative easy to follow.
When talking to Elizabeth, she said her favorite tea is P.G. Tips. This is sometimes called “builder’s tea” due to it being a stronger tea. According to the box, “England’s No1 Tea.” This was the tea Elizabeth drank in her hometown of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. I have seen this tea in the store, but until now had never tried it. On Elizabeth’s recommendation, I brewed a pot and served it with milk. Personally, I liked it. Yes, it’s strong, perhaps a bit much for my afternoon cup but excellent for the morning. It is stronger than the “orange pekoe” most Americans are used to drinking. Some may prefer it with a bit of sweetener.
I highly recommend The Brass Queen by Elizabeth Chatsworth. Also, keep a lookout for the sequel The Brass Queen: Grand Tour, scheduled to be released in 2023.
I purchased my copy of The Brass Queen from Mysterious Galaxy and Books, an independent bookstore in San Diego. So, when buying books this holiday season, please consider supporting your local independent bookseller.
Tess DeGroot 
Love this book (which I am proud to have narrated)! So much great dialogue from such juicy characters!
Some of my favorite quotes are:
• He was tired, wet, hungry, and in imminent danger of being shot by a woman in the most absurd hat he’d ever seen.
• “I’m sure she’s worth far more alive than dead.”
“Isn’t everyone?”
• “You can imagine the shock on every man’s face as bricks came crashing through the windows, thrown by an unseen hand.”
“Was it dark out?”
“That’s not the point!”
• “You need to be more trusting.”
“Of you?”
“Well, maybe not me, but somebody, someday.”
Just brilliant!
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