The Golden Spider

Elemental Steampunk Chronicle Series #1

By: Anne Renwick

Narrated by: Henrietta Meire

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Lady Amanda is tired of having both her intelligence and her work dismissed.

After blackmailing her way into medical school, she catches the eye of her anatomy professor from the moment she walks into his lecture hall. Is he interested in her? Or only her invention - a clockwork spider that can spin artificial nerves?

Lord Thornton, a prominent neurobiologist, has been betrayed.

Secret government technology has been stolen from his laboratory, and a foreign spy is attempting to perfect it via a grisly procedure...using gypsies as test subjects. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a beautiful - and brilliant - new student, even if her spider could heal a deteriorating personal injury.

Until her device is stolen and used in the latest murder.

Lord Thornton has no option but to bring her into his laboratory as well as the investigation, where they must fight their growing yet forbidden attraction. Bodies accumulate, and fragile bonds are tested as they race across London, trying to catch the spy before it's too late.

©2016 Karen Pinco (P)2017 Tantor

Ending Chapters were Best

Had a hard time getting cozy with the characters. It was the action towards the end that made a difference.

Enjoyable Journey

I loved the story. Fast pace, pleasant love story, just enough heat. Bought the next book. I’m invested.

Only negative, I didn’t understand Thornton’s reluctance, and the narrators male voices all sounded scratchy.

The story’s good, the narration not so much

Setting: London 1884
Genre: Steampunk Romance

Amanda Ravensdale talked her father, the Duke of Avebury, into allowing her to attend Lister University School of Medicine partially based on the fact that Sebastian Talbot, Fifth Earl of Thornton, the world’s premier neurobiologist, had his laboratory there, and it was possible she would be able to get his input on her invention, the neurachnid. She invented and is working on perfecting it in order to repair the damage her brother Ned suffered in an accident five years ago. All she has to do in return for this boon from her father is to become engaged and marry within a year.
Lord Thornton is ordered to take over an absent professor’s anatomy classes since he can no longer go into the field as a spy due to an old injury acting up. On the first day Amanda asks him about using base metals to repair nerve damage and he humiliates her in front of her classmates. Later he shows up at her home asking to see her invention and she denies him, and the next day it is gone. When she goes to accuse him of the theft, she ends up becoming a lab assistant dedicated exclusively to rebuilding and perfecting her invention. Meanwhile, the bodies of Gypsies keep showing up with their eyes surgically removed, the work of a villain the newspapers are calling the Eye Doctor.
The plot is multidimensional and the characters, even some of the secondaries, have depth. The suspense is low-key but still engaging (will Amanda be forced to accept Sommersby’s suit despite her growing regard for Thornton? Is the new spider actually safe? Will they be able to find more of the neurotoxin they need?) The mystery - who is the Eye Doctor? - kept me guessing and entwines itself throughout. The romance between Amanda and Thornton is a slow-burn attraction (yay! No inst-f#<k). This book is an enjoyable example of the steampunk sub genre and romance in general.
The performance however, is not so good. Although the narrator did a fairly good job of differentiating characters and genders, and kept the breathiness (is that a word?) to a minimum, there were pauses and full stops in the middle of sentences. I do not know if this was an issue with editing or if it was her. In either case, it was irritating and kept me from really getting into the story.

great steampunk romance

I enjoyed the story and was in suspense throughout. I can appreciate the sexual content although the story was great regardless. but as romance stories go, it was not overdone. I am looking forward to the next one in the series

Enjoyable Steampunk Adventure

I liked the book. It had a good mystery, fun steampunk elements and a little bit of steamy romance. HEA

Dirigibles, krackens, and gypsy murders, oh my!

What a fantastic ride! Smart, sexy, and intriguing story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Forbidden romance, unique scientific inventions, and spy chasing will keep you guessing until the end. Very well done. I can’t wait for book two!

great ideas

well planned mystery spy romance mystery with suspense. Listened straight through. Going to the next

Great story. Okay narrator.

Everything I've always wanted in a book. steamy romance + delightful mystery. loved it.

I Can't Hear Performance

I really enjoy Anne Renwick-and was so excited to listen to yet another saga. But after book 1-I am done. The performance voice has so many highs and lows in tone that she is too loud or too soft. If I'm busy doing my thing-the last thing I want to do is adjust the volume thru the listen.

couldnt stop listening

what a great story!!! im a fan. Amanda and Thorton are great. Black is someone i want to hang out with