100 Books in 2012: Book 69 “The Strange Case of Finley Jayne”

I don’t remember when I downloaded this book, but I fell into it this afternoon and couldn’t stop until the last page.   This prequel to Kady Cross’s Steampunk Chronicles,  this is a fast read that paints an enticing picture of the world Finley Jayne inhabits.

When Finley is fired for punching another employee, she’s not very hopeful at her chances of finding good employment.  But then Lady Morton shows up, offering to pay Finley a large sum if she will take the post as companion to Phoebe, Lady Morton’s youngest daughter.  Finley accepts the job, but it soon becomes clear that she’s been hired as more than a lady’s companion: she’s been hired to spy on Phoebe’s fiance.  The man is wealthy and charming, but he’s old enough to be Phoebe’s father, and Lady Morton doesn’t trust his intentions.  But no one is prepared for the scandal that lurks beneath the surface, and Finley soon learns things that should only exist in gothic novels.

I don’t usually read steampunk, but I really like Finley’s character, and I’m intrigued to read the rest of this series.