(This review may contain spoilers)
I read this book because I always enjoyed the stories by this author. It was a fast paced, entertaining story, but with an incomplete end.
The heroine in this story is an older lady (mid 20's) who has ties to a noble family, but no title. She has been the victim of an abduction when she was 11 years old and after that, her father taught her defensive measures and she saved herself from 3 additional unsuccessful abductions. Her father's wealth was seperate from the title, and had been that way since the creation of the title. The heroine's cousin had all the estates and titles and responsibilities to run the estates profitably. But he had no head for the business end. The heroine had an exhibit at the Great Exposition in the Ctystal Palace. The heroine built automated items, from conception to actual fabrication. The automaton she is exhibiting is called 'the Gambler'. She misses the date of registering for the Exposition, but when she appeared with her items, there was a gentleman already trying to get in because he also missed the registration period. The chairman was amazed by their items, but the gentleman, our hero, is able to negotiate both of them getting into the exposition, by offering one of his items as a bribe. But both are able to have an exhibit. One morning the hero arrives at the exposition and sees gears and metal.parts laying under some tables. And the same time, the heroine noticed her 'Gambler' is missing. She goes to investigate and locates him under the table, with his arm missing. A group of urchins catches the hero's attention and they lead him to a corpse holding on to the missing arm of the automaton. One of the exhibitors immediately accuses the heroine of murdering the man, and both hero and heroine are embroiled in a murder mystery with the heroine hiding for her life.
This book,for the most part, was a well paced and thorough story. It was very interesting in describing the exposition, and life at that time. The hero and heroine are both creative and engineering geniuses. The part that left me down was the ending. There is no confession of love, just that the other person touches them in a place they never thought would be touched. The heroine offers the hero a garage to use as his forge so he can live with her instead of going back to Scotland. He agrees to use the forge and that is how it ends. It ends that they just reconciled. The reader doesnt knowing they actually say they love each other, or get married or even move their relationship to the next level. We have to imagine it. Well, I want to be told that they got married or had children or even just decided to live together. I do not want to assume anything. I am giving this 3 stars because I like a definitive ending. I like to know that love overcame their reserve and their secrets. I do not recommend reading because of the lack of ending

The Crystal Palace was the site of The Great Exhibition of 1851, where innovative industrial products from all over the world were displayed. The heroine, Kara Levett, and hero, Niall Kier, meet for the first time in the office of an Exhibition panellist, who has the power to approve their selection as exhibitors. Kara makes automatons and Niall forges things from iron. When a man is murdered with the arm from one of Kara's automatons and she is accused of the murder, she and Niall team up to find the real culprit. The plot involves a one-armed man, a maker of artificial limbs, industrial espionage, treacherous foreigners, a hideous birthmark, secret passages, and more. There are many characters and places that have nothing to do with the plot but slow the pace and add to the confusion. The characters speak contemporary American English.

The setting and the historical background were interesting, but otherwise I found the book dull. It is the first in a planned series, and the author has tried to introduce too many characters and insert too many incidents that are meant to describe Kara's background and character but would be better left to another book or removed altogether.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for this ARC.

An excellent historical mystery with likeable character's intrigue, danger and a budding romance to add to it all. I loved it. The mystery was great with lots of suspects and the historical details and scenes were vivid and interesting. The other great bit is that the character's and romance do not suffer in comparison to the mystery both feel equally important to the story. Can't recommend it enough. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Awe inspiring, mystery led escapism, entangled with a touch of budding romance!

A KILLER IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE jumps straight in with sinister intrigue, wonder, betrayal and murder and progresses with the same wondrous vein throughout.
Encased in rich historic detail, this enjoyable tale, blankets you in the darker and multifaceted backbone of Victorian London, when The Great Exhibition pulsed at its heart, full of intrigue, innovation and beguilling wonder. Creating, the perfect stage to showcase our heroine and hero, exhibitors, Kara and Niall. As the setting mirrors their intelligence, awe, resourcefulness and own mechanical mastery of the craft and artistic genius they wield. With enough wit, charm and perceptive intellect to match their underlying vulnerabilities, hopes and desires to hold your attention and keep you reading.
As mystery and sinister intentions surround the pair, they have this ability to draw you in and grab your interest becoming just as much of a puzzle you want to uncover as the murder Kara is framed for. The pair dazzle with intelligence and radiate tantalising glimpses into their troubled and secretive histories. Just what you want in two leads that will form the focal partnership of a new exciting series that promises to be just as much an enigma as the mystery put before you. 
Interweaved within and brought to life through witty banter and intricate detail, a highly statisfying fast paced, suspense fueled adventure emerges. Laced in betrayal, corruption, twisted machination and inspirational wonder as a race against time commences to unravel the motive for murder. As a result, the pair make an engaging investigative team, on equal footing, as they desperately attempt to hunt out the culprit before the ever escalating threats, that literally hang over Kara's head, succeed in their unsavoury devilry.
All while we enjoy the push and pull of a meeting of minds and the heady promise of perhaps being faced with finding 'the one' as they war with the magnanimity of their building emotions against not wanting to submit to the temptation however undeniable it is proving to be.
Such a fabulous read that sets a high bar for book 2, in a promising new series. As this tale introduces and beguilles with a host of finely tuned, polished and deep characters matched only by the engaging mysteries needed to be solved as romance buds and blooms beneath the surface.

This book perfectly balances the mystery and romance aspects of the story. The lead characters are interesting and well rounded. I loved that the romance was somewhat understated so that the mystery could be the main part of the story. The attraction between Kara and Niall is unmistakable, but it's put on the backburner for much of the novel and their work on solving the killing is given most of the attention. There are so many possible suspects so you are kept guessing until the big reveal. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say I thought there was something off about the person who turns out the be the killer but I didn't think that was what it was. The supporting characters are also great and help to widen the world in which these characters exist. I am very much looking forward to seeing more of all these characters and seeing what other crimes these two partner up for.

This was a lot of fun. It is a nice entry for the genre of Victorian mysteries. With a bit of romance thrown in for good measure. The characters are different from your standard protagonists. Kara Levett is upper class and wealthy, but she follows her own path as an inventor who is determined to exhibit her automatons at the Crystal Palace. She pairs up with Niall Kier who is another exhibitionist who makes art with how he twists metal. Add in a murder with overtones of industrial espionage and lots of family secrets and the result is an entertaining story that I couldn’t put down. I really enjoyed the plotting, characters, and setting. I look forward to the next book in the series since there are mysteries revolving around Niall that I want to find out about.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Miss Kara Levett is a very unusual lady. Although she's an heiress she loves to working with her special talent. Not all of Victorian London is ready for someone like her.
Mr Niall Kier is an artistic blacksmith with secrets.
This historical romance is also a murder / mystery. There is lots
of danger and excitement for our characters, and it was very difficult to guess who the villains were or even why it happened.
This is the first book in a series I definitely want to read more of.
Great fun.

1851, amateur-sleuth, first-in-series, historical-novel, historical-research, inventions, inventors, jealousies, London, misconceptions, misogyny, murder, murder-investigation, mystery, new-series, read, romantic, secrets, teamwork, the Crystal Palace, the-Great Exhibition, theft*****

Kara Levett is an Englishwoman with a genius for clockworks, Niall Kier is a Scotsman who is an artist in metalwork. They have managed to have entries in the Great Exhibition of 1851 showcasing Britain’s Industrial genius to the world in the Crystal Palace. Things go awry when Kara is accused of murdering a thief who stole part of her most impressive exhibit and Niall champions her in this misogynistic world.
Excellent historical mystery with a romantic undercurrent. Well worth the read!
I requested and received an EARC from Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

Automations and death!

The Great Exhibition 1851 is showcasing Britain’s Industrial genius to the world. In the Crystal Palace, Niall Kier, an exhibitor, uses his creative skills, forging everything from intricate panels of scrolled ironwork, huge gates detailing the thistle of Scotland, to finely wrought iron brooches.
Nearby is a young woman, Kara Levett, defying convention creating wonderful automations, clocks with several moving parts, the replica of a ship that played sea shanties, unfurled it’s sails and other startling features, and an automated man.
When Kara’s automated man disappears and it’s discovered near a dead man with its arm ripped off, Kara is accused of his murder and the police try to take her away for questioning.
Niall helps her escape and takes her to a magistrate in a different district, hoping to stave off her arrest.
All the time Kara is being followed. It seems this might be a bit more personal than thought.
During all the too-ing and fro-ing someone has stolen parts of the revolutionary Colt pistol, diagrams and other ordnance paraphernalia. Treason! The resolution is unexpected.
A Victorian Mystery where the threads finally come together, although about some things we’re still in the dark. Such as, who is Niall Kier really? What’s the secret he carries that’s a huge burden?
Nary a kiss is exchanged in this new plot. But there’s still time for many threads that are hinted at to develop. I’m looking forward to more.


A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

What a great story! Has this seasoned historical romance author ventured into writing historical mysteries before this? I don’t know, but she has certainly done an outstanding job of it this time. She has managed to set up the series, introduce all of the series' characters and make us like them while delivering a mystery that is intriguing. I have seen where this series is only to be three or four books long, but I could easily see this as a scenario and characters that could carry a much longer series should the author choose to go in that direction. Excellently done Deb Marlowe!

Miss Kara Levett and Mr. Niall Kier first meet when they show up at the offices of a sponsor of the Great Exhibition. They are both trying to finagle a spot on the floor of the exhibition to show their creations – but the space is extremely limited. She is a gifted engineer and he is a gifted blacksmith artist whose displays are outstanding. Of course, they win a spot, but sadly, it doesn’t take long for it all to go sour when a man is found murdered on the exhibition grounds. Yes, murdered – with one of the pieces from Kara’s display. Oops! Scotland Yard quickly wants to point the blame at Kara so they can close the case and keep the news from the papers.

If Kara wants to stay out of jail, she’s going to have to prove herself innocent and find the real murderer. Luckily Niall is right there to work alongside her. While Kara appreciates Niall’s help, she is accustomed to doing things on her own and it takes a bit for her to learn to work in tandem. They have to learn to trust each other and depend on each other – and that takes a bit of a leap of faith on both their parts. I admired both of them for the respect they showed each other. Believe it or not – she actually admitted he was right (when he was) and he actually admitted she was right (when she was). Once they got all of those cogs turning in the right direction, the investigation took off. Except – someone is trying to hurt Kara – could she have been the target all along? Surely not – she didn’t even know the man who was murdered.

Some of the stops along the way to solving the mystery provide insights into who our two characters are and the inhabitants of those places are delightful. Kara’s character seems to be pretty straightforward – she is who she is. Niall, on the other hand, is a bit of an enigma that I will love seeing unwound in future books. He has secrets and I can’t wait to find them out!

The series setup and mystery were the main focus of this book, but the groundwork was laid for a romance between Kara and Niall. I loved that there was no insta-lust in this book – just a natural progression of feelings that will, in the end, lead to love I’m sure.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A case more complex than it seems …

As soon as this new series was announced, I have been intrigued.
I know the author for her romance, so a mystery with a slow burn love story is really something I enjoy.
This book contains not one but two mysteries as while the clues pile up to untangle the story behind the murder, there is an other enigma that will be unraveled later, probably in the next books:
Who is Mr Niall Kier.
Kara is who she presents to the world, wealthy, resilient, clever, industrious, kind and very unconventional. She really stands out, between her awesomeness, eccentric view of life and unusual talents (whatever it is complex handicraft or self defense), she is who everyone would want to be and at the same time who they reject at every turn.
She makes her own path, never cowering from others’ scorn or scared by threats.
Niall is so much more than who he presents in the outside. A Scotsman, a blacksmith, an artist in his own way and an enigma even for the smart Kara.
But she accepts him with his shadows as from the beginning he proves himself to be more than reliable and genuine in his desire to help.

A first tale that sets the pace, building up the team that will navigate around Kara and Niall, a heroine who needs no one to fight her battles and has the ability to defend herself and a hero with many secrets but unable to step back bewitched by his new partner’s light.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 none

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

The characters are fun, sassy, lovable and and so much more. The story is intriguing and keeps you on your toes. If I could give it 10 stars believe me I would.

A Killer in the Crystal Palace by Deb Marlowe is the opening book in what will hopefully be a long series of historical mysteries.

In the opening scene, an English engineer with varied skills honed during numerous kidnapping attempts and a Scottish blacksmith with a big secret in his past connive their way into exhibiting at the Great Exhibition of 1851. She is showing automatons and clocks while he is showing elaborate gates and metal jewelry. They’re thrown together when her exhibit is involved in a murder and she is the accused villain. She’s an unnatural woman, after all. What follows is a delightful adventure as they use their skills and connections to find a murderer.

The wealthy, confident heroine, Kara Levett, and mysterious hero, Niall Kier, are as pleased as the reader is with their instant chemistry. The investigation remains the primary story, but the slow-burn, romantic plot simmers nicely. An action scene serves as a satisfying finale. Along the way, we get fun banter and a wonderful cast of secondary characters (plus a cameo from Maisie Dobbs - who knew she could run a pie shop?).

The use of the Great Exhibition is a setting that will allow Kara and Niall to be in close proximity for many months, but Kara also takes an action that will keep Niall close for longer. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

When a man is murdered in the Crystal Palace, exhibiter Kara is thought to be guilty. Wanting to help her, Niall comes to her aid by helping her look for the real killer. Both creative and intelligent, they realize they make a great team. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.