Mission: Improper

London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy Series, Book 1

By: Bec McMaster

Narrated by: Sienna Frances

Standing between London and a deadly plot against the throne, are the dangerous spies and femme fatales that form the Company of Rogues...that's if they don't kill each other first.

Entire families have gone missing in the East End. When Caleb Byrnes receives an invitation to join the Company of Rogues as an undercover agent pledged to protect the crown, he jumps at the chance to find out who, or what is behind the disappearances. Hunting criminals is what the darkly driven blue blood does best, and though he prefers to work alone, the opportunity is too good to resist.

The problem? He's partnered with Ingrid Miller, the fiery and passionate verwulfen woman who won a private bet against him a year ago. Byrnes has a score to settle, but one stolen kiss and suddenly the killer is not the only thing Byrnes is interested in hunting.

Soon they're chasing whispered rumors of a secret project gone wrong, and a monster that just might be more dangerous than either of them combined. The only way to find out more is to go undercover among the blue blood elite...But when their hunt uncovers a mysterious conspiracy, Byrnes and Ingrid must set aside their age-old rivalry if they have any chance at surviving a treacherous plot.

Contains mature themes.

©2016 Bec McMaster (P)2020 Tantor

Loved it!

I have been waiting forever for this series to come out. I almost didn't get the book due to the less than stellar reviews on the narration. I have stopped listening to books because I could not stand the narrator. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I did like the narrator.

These stories are great, but I will need to do a refresher and listen to the "A London Steampunk" series to remember all the characters.

I did enjoy the story and the narrator.

Recommended Audiobook.

The game is afoot … again

“You’re the one I’m proudest of,
the one who stood in the shadows and slowly hauled himself out of them.”
This is best heard after listening to books 1 and 3 in the origin series London Steampunk (Kiss of Steal and My Lady Quicksilver). Those two books set up this book’s romance between verwulfen Ingrid and Nighthawk Byrne. The original series has a breathy narrator and over-focuses on a single couple in each book, but gets better as the series progresses, ending strong with book 5’s Of Silk and Steam
(which also laid the groundwork for the mystery in this book).
This narrator is an improvement for me, although at times a touch strident.

“Nice is overrated.”
This series picks up three years after the original series, with a new world order and some of the Nighthawks being reconstituted in a company of rogues. I’m glad that book 1 features two of the fiercest supernaturals from the original series. I’m even more glad that the author upped her game on the mystery side, laying out a satisfying beginning of what promises to be a smarter series-spanning arc. Another improvement from the original series is the bigger roles for all the other eventual couples: Ava, Kincaid, Gemma, Charlie and Malloryn. Clearly, the author has plotted out the series arc instead of brainstorming each book only after finishing the first. It all makes for a more satisfying blend of sizzling romance and monster mystery.

This is a series for those who enjoy a little bit of horror with their steampunk and a lot more than steam in their romance. I for one loved the danger flirting and hawty-naughty bits. There are only a handful of scenes as Ingrid and Byrne run the bases to the single, delicious homerun. There’s an HEA and one mini mystery solved … giving a good ending while also leaving listeners eager for the evolution of all the characters as the mystery plot thickens. Hitting play on book 2 immediately.

Interesting story, narration started off poorly...

Overall: I'd say if you liked the previous series, you'll enjoy this.

I loved the London Steampunk series and was excited when this became available on audible. The story was entertaining, like the previous books, but I almost quit listening because of the narrator. At the beginning of the book she sounds robotic for every voice. She gradually gets better, but it was annoying at first.

I enjoyed the characters and the plot line. I wish it hadn't been so long since I listened to the other books so I could appreciate the mentions of those characters more. It's not necessary to remember them but I think it would make it more enjoyable.

Writer overly obsessed with sex

There is a decent steampunk story in here, but the writer is totally obsessed with explicit sex to puff up the content. I got totally bored with this childish obsession and gave up after a few chapters. It was a waste of time and money to get this book and I will certainly avoid books by this author in the future. If you like reading long pages of descriptive sex you will find this book to your taste.

Wherein the narrator ruins the story

I kept trying but couldn't outlast the narration -- I couldn't find the story it was so distracting. Maybe I will have to actually read it... instead of listening to one singular voice for all characters... I am sad. I think I would have enjoyed the story.