Book Review: A Trace of Copper by Anne Renwick

Elemental Steampunk Tales Book 1

A small Welsh village. An interrupted romance. A rogue frog on the loose threatening their future.

New recruit to the Queen's agents, Dr. Piyali Mukherji is given a simple first assignment. Travel to the small Welsh village of Aberwyn and solve the mystery of a young woman's blue skin lesion. A challenging task, for the alarming infection is unlike anything she's seen before--and it's spreading.

Evan Tredegar, the town's pharmacist and the only man to ever capture her heart, knows more than he's telling. Despite his efforts to push her away, her touch reawakens old desires. As more villagers fall victim to the strange disease, he'll have no choice but to reveal his secrets, even if it means sacrificing his freedom.

Together they must move past broken promises, capture a rogue frog, and stop the infection before it spreads out of control.

A TRACE OF COPPER is a story set in the Elemental Steampunk World, including The Elemental Steampunk Chronicles, Elemental Steampunk Tales, and Elemental Steampunk Stories.

Steampunk adventure wrapped around a romance and threaded with biotechnology. Join USA Today bestselling author, Anne Renwick, as she takes you back into an alternate past.

THE ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES The Golden Spider (Book One) The Silver Skull (Book Two) The Iron Fin (Book Three)

ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK TALES A Trace of Copper In Pursuit of Dragons A Reflection of Shadows

ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK STORIES The Tin Rose Kraken and Canals Rust and Steam

---

My Review:

Like the previous book, this one is a delightful blend of modern and mystical. It's easy to see the author's great love of all things science within this series. And I love that you can feel the story being grounded in scientific fact while still spinning an incredible tale that requires you to suspend your disbelief. I mean, really, bitten by a blue Amazonian tree frog in the Welsh countryside? That requires more than just a little bit of trust on behalf of the reader. But that trust is well repaid with an engrossing story of secrets, love, and scientific discovery. In true Holmesian fashion, once the possible has been eliminated only the impossible remains, even if the impossible is being bitten by a blue Amazonian tree frog in the Welsh countryside. So believe in one impossible thing immediately: you will not enjoy life another moment without reading this book. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book.