Heart of the Curiosity

By: H. L. Burke

Narrated by: Theresa Bakken

The secret lies with the Heart.

Born with a magical knack for manipulating emotions, Leodora's only dream is to ensure her talented little sister dances on the biggest, brightest stage in the Republic: The Curiosity, a grand old theater of tradition and innovation. After escaping a cruel carnival, Leo secures her sister a place in The Curiosity’s chorus line and herself a job as a professional audience member, swaying the crowd's mood with her magic. The girls have a home for the first time in their lives.

Then, a tragic accident darkens the theater. A greedy businessman begins blackmailing Leo, and financial woes threaten to close the show forever. The Curiosity's sole hope lies in a mythical power source hidden beneath the maze-like passages and trapdoors of the theater - the Heart. And Leo’s only friend Paxton, nephew of the theater's stagemistress, is the key to finding it.

While Leo and Paxton hunt for the Heart, the blackmailer’s threats loom larger. Mysterious figures, cryptic clues, and deadly traps hinder the search at every turn. If the friends cannot recover the Heart in time, Leo and her sister will be cast out of the only home they’ve ever known, and the final curtain will fall on The Curiosity.

Enter a world reminiscent of The Greatest Showman, with a puzzle worthy of Sherlock Holmes and National Treasure, in this new steampunk fantasy from H. L. Burke.

©2019 H. L. Burke (P)2020 H. L. Burke

Steampunk theater mystery with snail's

The Heart of the Curiosity is hard to describe without spoiling the surprising plot twists that make this story such an enjoyable ride.

it has everything, feels, excitement, characters navigateing an escape room style labyrinth. There's ballet, magic, and snails. someone please make this movie already.

Thankfully Theresa Bakken's performance is the next best thing. She reads beautifully, giving each joke, and serious moment the proper time and inflection. She also does a great job on character voices. Making dialogue tags unnecessary as you can tell who spoke from the voice she uses.

Imaginative story & professional narration

I enjoyed this story very much and would recommend without hesitation. It was quirky, fun, and imaginative. I also appreciated the professional narration. What a lovely voice. I’d like to say, “Great job!” to both author and narrator.