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Description edit
Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!),... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
The men in Alexia's life have come up with a little plan which involves her and Conall moving into some rather tight quarters and some of the pack relocating next door to Lord Akeldama. Not long after the move, a ghost pops up out of nowhere and warns them of a plot to murder the Queen.... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Lady Alexia Maccon: Preternatural, wife of a werewolf, Muhjah to Queen Victoria, enjoyer of tea and parasols.
- Lord Conall Maccon: Alpha of the Woolsey Pack, husband to Alexia, Chief Sundowner for BUR, has quite a temper and is a hassle for his Beta.
- Madame Genevieve Lefoux: French friend of Alexia, in the Order of the Brass Octupus, brillant inventor and hat shop owner, and partaker in wearing men's garments.
- Professor Randolph Lyall: Loyal Beta of the Woolsey Pack, polite in every way possible for a werewolf, and spiffy dresser.
- Floote: Former valet to Alexia's father and was her loyal butler until his current position as her secretary. He believes in dressing appropriately and is not very forthcoming on information on the late Alessandro Tarabotti.
- Lord Akeldama: Dear friend of Alexia's and Rove Vampire, much to her husband's annoyance, flamboyant in every way and knows almost everything about everyone, current Potentate on the Shadow Council
- Ivy Tunstell: Oldest friend of Alexia, now married to an actor, and enjoys wearing the most outrageous hats she can find.
- Ormond Tunstell: Former claviger to Woolsey Pack, married to Ivy, and now a full time actor.
- Biffy: Lord Akeldama's favorite Drone, now turned new member of the Woolsey Pack.
- Major Channing Channing: Of the Chesterfield Channings, Gamma of the Woolsey pack
- Boots: Drone of Lord Alkedama.
- Quesnel: Madame Lefoux's adopted son.
- Countess Nadasdy: Hive Vampire Queen in London.
- Dr. Caedes: Vampire in Countess Nadasdy's hive
- Rumpet: The Woolsey Pack's Butler.
- Miss Mabel Dair: Drone of Countess Nadasdy, an actress
- Formerly Beatrice Lefoux: A ghost, great-aunt of Madame Lefoux.
- Felicity Loontwill: Alexia's half sister.
- Alessandro Tarabotti: Alexia's father, preternatural; homosexual
- Dr. Neebs: Scientist formerly in Hypocras Club
- Lord Slaughter: Autonomous werewolf, current dewan on the Shadow Council
Quotes edit
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“You lovebirds, how will I endure such flirtations constantly in my company? How déclassé, Lord Maccon, to love your own wife.”
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“Well, my word! You can’t threaten me, you’re pregnant!”
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“Oh, my dearest girl, what will you think of next? Weregoats? Be on your guard, for at full moon they shall creep into your coat closet and eat up all your shoes!”
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“The ghost whirled to face Alexia. “No, no, no. Now, no, what? Oh, yes. Are you Alexia Macaroon?” Alexia didn’t know how to respond to that, so she nodded. Conall, useless beast, started laughing. “Macaroon? I love it!”
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“Alexia glanced down at her overstuffed belly and then got that look on her face. “I am entirely capable.” “Of what, waddling up to someone and ruthlessly bumping into them?”
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“Spin the parasol three times and repeat after me: I shield in the name of fashion. I accessorize for one and all. Pursuit of truth is my passion. This I vow by the great parasol.”
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If left together for too long, the two of them might actually take over the civilized world, through sheer application of snide remarks.
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“I suppose you might consider keeping more than one cat.” “Oh, dear me, no. Then I should be known as that vampire with all the cats.”
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Thus, the dewan and Lord Maccon tended to circle each other, both in and out of polite company, rather like two tugboats drawing freight—widely and with much tooting.
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Vampires hated to lose blood—it was troublesome to replace and always left a stain.
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Conall described being awake the night after as akin to playing tiddlywinks, drunk, with a penguin—confusing and slightly dreamlike.
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As with most things in life, Lady Maccon preferred the civilized exterior to the dark underbelly (with the exception of pork products, of course).
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The earl threw it on in an arbitrary way, showing all the attention to detail a ferret might employ if called upon to decorate a hat.
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Then she wondered if his very quiet stillness were not like that of a child climbing into hot water, afraid that every little movement would only make things hotter and more painful.
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Lady Maccon shook her finger at the hive queen as though the ancient vampire were a very naughty schoolgirl caught with her hand in the jam jar. “Shame on you! Bad vampire.”
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Organizations edit
- Order of the Brass Octopus (OBO): A group focused on scientific discovery, of which there are factions.
- Shadow Council: Queen Victoria's advisors to the supernatural/preturnatural community.
- Bureau of Unnatural Registry (BUR): the enforcing body for England's supernatural and preturnatural subjects
First Sentence edit
"Five months! Five months you—dare I say it—gentlemen have been sitting on this little scheme of yours and only now you decide to inform me of it!” Lady Alexia Maccon did not enjoy being surprised by declarations of intent.
Table of Contents edit
PROLOGUE: P Is for Preternatural
CHAPTER ONE: In Which Lady Alexia Maccon Waddles
CHAPTER TWO: Wherein Alexia Will Not Be Flung
CHAPTER THREE: Matters Ghostly
CHAPTER FOUR: Where Tethered Specters Meet
CHAPTER FIVE: The Lair of the Octopus
CHAPTER SIX: In Which Mrs. Tunstell Proves Useful
CHAPTER SEVEN: The Werewolves of Woolsey Castle
CHAPTER EIGHT: Death by Teapot
CHAPTER NINE: In Which the Past Complicates the Present
CHAPTER TEN: Ivy’s Agent Doom
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Wherein Hairmuffs Become All the Rage
CHAPTER TWELVE: Formerly Beatrice Lefoux
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: The Octopus Stalks at Moonlight
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: In Which Lady Maccon Mislays Her Parasol
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Where Dirigibles Fear to Tread
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: A Clot of Vampires
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: In Which We All Learn a Little Something About Prudence
Series & Lists edit
This is book 4 of 5 in The Parasol Protectorate. (standard series)
Preceded by Blameless, and followed by Timeless.
This book is in 2011 Locus Recommended Reading List: Fantasy. (authoritative list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Gail Carriger (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Orbit
Country: USA
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
ISBN: 0316127191
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Orbit
Country: USA
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
ISBN: 0316127191
Page Count: 400
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813
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