The Diabolical Miss Hyde

December 22, 2014
Carr’s steampunk debut is electrifying, memorable, and razor sharp. Eliza Jekyll—daughter of the late Dr. Henry Jekyll, a forensic investigator for the London police—continues her father’s work by battling serial killers and other monsters. No one knows that she hides a monster of her own: Lizzie Hyde, her seductive, wild alter ego, who comes out to play at night. Eliza’s current case has her tracking a murderer who steals body parts, and every avenue of investigation seems to take her into deeper, darker territory. While Lizzie’s influence and desire for freedom grow, Eliza is forced to work with Remy Lafeyette, a member of the Royal Society who could unmask her unnatural state at any time. The shift between Eliza and Lizzie’s narrative voices further amplifies their complex, difficult relationship, and Carr evokes a host of Victorian nightmares—Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd, Frankenstein’s monster, and more—as she brings the subtly disturbing setting to life. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary Agency.

January 1, 2015

Eliza Jekyll works as a physician in Victorian London, concealing her secret dual nature and her shadow self, Lizzie Hyde. Dr. Henry Jekyll, her father, was similarly afflicted. Eliza uses a tonic to control her wild and violent shadow and an elixir when she wants to let Lizzie out. She has been working with the London police to help catch killers, but when a man Eliza testifies against is acquitted by a corrupt judge, she fears Lizzie might have sought her own brand of justice. The case brings Eliza into contact with Remy Lafayette, adventurer and agent of the Royal Society, which patrols anything that smacks of the supernatural. If he discovers Eliza's secret, both she and Lizzie are doomed. VERDICT This debut steampunk, gender-swapped take on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story of the uncontrolled id loses some of the subtlety of the novel's psychological insights but more than compensates with its energy and over-the-top adventure. Don't think about it too hard, just enjoy the ride.

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