The Chess Queen Enigma

July 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-A mere three weeks have passed since Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes solved The Case of the Spiritglass Charade (Chronicle, 2014). When a letter revealing the location of missing royal chess piece is stolen, it is up to the plucky teens to find it before their lethal nemesis, the Ankh, does. The chess piece is the key to a royal chessboard, one that holds jewels and invaluable secrets. In the wrong hands, the secrets could turn deadly. The teens' forays are complicated by the fact that Princess Alix expects them to chaperone the demure Princess Lurelia of Betrovia, who is visiting Britain on a goodwill trip. As in the previous titles, the narrative alternates between the viewpoints of the distinctly different Evaline and Mina. The variations in their observations give insight into their characters and the time period. Evaline, for instance, cherishes her role as an undercover kick-arse vampire hunter. She loves her "Angel in the House" sister-in-law but chafes at that relative's efforts to see her courted and married off. Mina longs to satisfy her sleuthing instincts but worries about what society will think of her. Red herrings whiz back and forth like steam-powered bullets as the friends work their way through fancy dress balls, dusty museums, and creepy laboratories to solve the mystery. VERDICT The endearingly flawed and delightfully competent heroines, the convincing integration of steampunk accoutrements, and the fact-based historical framework make this a must-purchase where the other novels are popular.-Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Libraries, NC

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2015
The intrepid detective/vampire-slayer team of Stoker and Holmes returns for a third diverting steampunk mystery (The Spiritglass Charade, 2014, etc.). Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes have collaborated on solving mysteries before. Action-oriented Evaline is a hereditary slayer of UnDead while Mina is a condescending mistress of deduction, much like her famous uncle. Or, as Evaline says, "I'm not the one who finds out things....I'm the one who does things." The girls react with dismayed pride when asked to entertain visiting Princess Lurelia of Betrovia. It's good to be trusted, but neither young lady has any desire to go about in society. Evaline would rather wear trousers and slay vampires in the vilest parts of London. Mina loves to wear pretty clothes but lacks any desire to make polite conversation. Luckily, disaster strikes: a guard is murdered, a gift between nations is stolen, and the princess is threatened by a mysterious figure the girls suspect is Mina's nemesis, the Ankh. This gives Mina the opportunity to deduce cleverly in the presence of her swain, the equally clever Inspector Grayling, while Evaline slays vampires while flirting with Cockney criminal mastermind Pix. The mystery moves at a glacial pace, as does the romantic build, despite the setup. The reappearance of Olympia Babbage ("granddaughter of some famous inventor") is, sadly, a mere side note. These squabbling BFFs will continue to please their fans, though they are unlikely to win new ones. (Steampunk. 12-14)

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