Venomous Secrets: A Steampunk Romance

Anne Renwick

Jun 2021 · Anne Renwick

About this ebook

Deadly secrets. A fanged monster. A device that could save lives or shatter worlds. 

Cait McCullough, venom expert, is trouble personified. Bored with exploring the possibilities of her unique biology in a laboratory, she longs for excitement. And investigating a vicious fanged creature who stalks its victims by lamplight in darkest London offers the perfect opportunity. Working with a handsome, unmarried agent? A delightful bonus.

Jonathan “Jack” Tagert battles enemies shrouded in darkness. While chasing suspects was once second nature, impending blindness threatens his line of work. The timing couldn’t be worse. When a deadly attack upon a lord at his brother’s engagement ball connects to a string of odd murders, the hunt begins for a seductive predator.

Bound by societal scandal, they must trace the creature’s past. Every clue spirals them deeper into peril as they struggle to separate fact from myth. As the venomous truth slithers near, the fight to survive draws Jack and Cait ever closer. With lives on the line, and time running out on Jack’s dimming vision, the pair must untangle a mystery to stop the body count from rising.  

VENOMOUS SECRETS is a story set in the Elemental Steampunk World, including The Elemental Steampunk Chronicles, Elemental Steampunk Tales, and Elemental Steampunk Stories.

ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES: The Golden Spider, The Silver Skull, The Iron Fin, Venomous Secrets

ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK TALES: A Trace of Copper, In Pursuit of Dragons, A Reflection of Shadows, A Snowflake at Midnight, A Ghost in Amber, A Whisper of Bone

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

 

 

Perfect for fans of Honor Raconteur, Luanne G. Smith, Charlie N. Holmberg, AJ Lancaster and Colleen Cowley.

- Steampunk 

- Science Fiction

- Romantic Fantasy

- Alternate History

- Adventure

- Historical

- Gaslamp 

- Fantasy Romance

- Myths and Legends

Ratings and reviews

Steampunk and Secrets This story was everything I hoped it would be and more. A societally-forced marriage turned to love, a kick-butt female heroine, a hero who also kick butt and is brainy, snakes, venom, mythological creatures, crazy inventions, Victorian “science” based on today’s biochemistry/anatomy/medicine/etc., the list of all the things that are fantastic about this novel goes on. I loved the build-up of the “who-dunit” and the final fight scenes are dramatic and exciting. My first book by Anne Renwick, but certainly not my last.

Sigh! My heart is so happy for this book. There’s a part of me that wants to say if feels a little like a steampunk twist on an Indiana Jones tale. There’s all the daring action and adventure, villains who are not at all what they appear to be, humor at the most unexpected of times, and a romance that starts off as unlikely but becomes inevitable. However, for as much as I loved that movie franchise, that comparison gives them too much credit. It also fails to take into account just how stunningly capable Cait is. I’m certainly not suggesting that she doesn’t need Jack, but it’s not for any of the reasons she thinks she does. They made excellent partners. And even though I’ve just spent more hours with them than I should have, I wish the book wasn’t over already. I can’t wait to see what the author has up her sleeve next. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.

In this story, you have an independent and intelligent woman in Cait. You also have love and intrigue and wonderful creatures. The reason I love these books is because there is something for everyone. There is always something new for me to discover. These books are full of action and fun to read. Anne Renwick writes in a way that, one, you don't realize you've learned something, and two, she is totally refreshing. I highly recommend this book.

About the author

ANNE RENWICK holds a Ph.D. in biology and greatly enjoyed tormenting the overburdened undergraduates who were her students, fiction has always been her first love. Today, she writes steampunk romance, placing a new kind of biotech in the hands of mad scientists, proper young ladies and determined villains.

Anne brings an unusual perspective to steampunk. A number of years spent locked inside the bowels of a biological research facility left her permanently altered. In her steampunk world, the Victorian fascination with all things anatomical led to a number of alarming biotechnological advances. Ones that the enemies of Britain would dearly love to possess.