The Mysterious Case of Mr. Strangeway by Karina Cooper

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Although I have only been part of Society for two years, I am already desperate to escape its confines and eager for adventure. The world my deceased parents have left me is nothing more than a gilded prison, and I will do anything to escape the boredom, even become a collector of bounties.

My name is Cherry St. Croix, and I may be young, but I am old enough to know when I am in over my head. My first collection seemed easy: Mr. Strangeway’s debts have come due, and the purse for his capture is hefty. Yet the wastrel remains one step ahead of me, and my efforts are hampered by another collector after the same coin. What’s more, a simple hunt becomes the forefront of a conspiracy that leads me on a chase through London’s low-class streets.

Not only does my pride demand success, but the well-being of many rest upon the choices I make—failure is not an outcome I can live with.

My Review:

I don't normally read Steampunk, but seem to have acquired most of this series through Netgalley so thought it would be worth giving it a go and you know what? I really quite enjoyed this one, although it didn't appear as Steampunk-y as other Steampunk books I have read, but maybe because it's a novella so there wasn't much time/space to develop the Steampunk world. There were hints of it though so I'm guessing more will be revealed in the main books.

Cherry St Croix is a Society girl, but has had a difficult life in her young 15 years of age and having been abandoned before she finds trying to become a lady pretty boring and hates virtually everything that Society expects of her. After overhearing a conversation about collectors - people who collects others debts for them, usually from pretty unsavoury characters, she decides she would quite like this collector job to be a secret part of her life.

She sets off on her first job, which does not go too well for her at all. In fact, she doesn't collect her quarry at all, but instead pairs up with him to do a completely different job against the man who posted the collection note instead! She does start to get a feel for what collecting is all about and how dangerous is might get for her as well, but that doesn't scare her off at all. In fact, it makes all the more determined to be the best female, the only female, collector in all of London low!

Although this book was fairly short, I thought it was a great insight to this genre, especially for the likes of me who does not read it all that often. Cherry was a great character, feisty, determined and really didn't have a clue how much danger she  was putting herself in, but kept on going regardless. I will very likely read the rest of this series at some point.

I did receive this book from the publisher through Netgalley but this review is my own honest review!