Published: Dec. 13, 2011
Words: 12,800 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781937042189

Short description

A traitorous fiance and a murderous stranger send straight-laced bookish Emmie Kirkwood fleeing into the 1870's London night fog. When a strange gas lamp appears at the side of the road, will it lead her to a place of refuge or a doom worse than what awaits her outside? Meanwhile, her would-be killer is still hot on her trail. A Gateway Roadhouse Chronicles steampunk suspense adventure novelette.

Extended description

A night at the circus spirals into terror...

A traitorous fiance and a murderous stranger send straight-laced bookish Emmie Kirkwood fleeing into the night fog.

But, the foggy night of 1870's London holds more than mysterious murderers, traitors, and other dark dangers. When a strange gas lamp appears at the side of the road, will it lead her to a place of refuge or a doom worse than what awaits her outside? (Read more) A night at the circus spirals into terror...

A traitorous fiance and a murderous stranger send straight-laced bookish Emmie Kirkwood fleeing into the night fog.

But, the foggy night of 1870's London holds more than mysterious murderers, traitors, and other dark dangers. When a strange gas lamp appears at the side of the road, will it lead her to a place of refuge or a doom worse than what awaits her outside?

Meanwhile, her would-be killer is still hot on her trail.

A 11200 word steampunk suspense novelette in the Gateway Roadhouse Chronicles.

Other Tales from the Gateway Roadhouse Chronicles:
* Dark Circus
* The Great Libraries
* Vaulted Career
* Oxygen Kisses
(Less)

Tags

thriller, suspense, science fiction, conspiracy, steampunk, chase, clockwork, historical mysteries, historical science fiction, steampulp, historical london, nightmare creatures

Available ebook reading formats

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Reviews

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Review by: Voice Spider on Sep. 07, 2012 :
A short steampunk (sort of, see below) themed story, this tale was interesting and kept me glued to its pages until the very end.

Vaugn has created something that I hope they expand upon in larger and longer words. This tale only brushes upon what is a rich concept and one that could span a number of novels. Vaugn's attention to small details like how a lady should act in Victorian England is refreshing from steampunk women who run around without any care as to how society runs at that time period. It helps to keep the main character realistic and helps with reinforcing the Victorian themes.

That said, there is actually very, very little of a steampunk element to this story. Yes, there are one or two elements that are steampunk, such as the chef, but other than that, I wouldn't actually consider this steampunk at all. (or even clockwork for that matter) At least not how the genre is portrayed in most fiction. Instead, this is more along the lines of Dr. Who, Sliders, or similar dimension hopping story lines. If you are reading this for something steampunk, be prepared to be let down on that front.

Another element is the length. Yes, this is a novelette, and the story does fit well into that length. But it also means that a lot feels cut short. As mentioned above, the concept presented here allows for a lot longer of a work. I really hope Vaugn does something other than novelettes with this concept.

In the end, I really liked the premise of this story, the characters, and the general plot. I recommend it to anyone who watches the above mentioned shows, and hope that anyone out looking for a steampunk tale understands what they are getting into before purchasing this story.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

Review by: Madison Keller on Aug. 02, 2012 :
I really enjoyed this book. The plot is very simple - Emmie gets attacked at the circus, runs away, and takes refuge in a Roadhouse. My only complaint is that by the time you really get into the story, it is over.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

Review by: livyrdreem11 on May 05, 2012 :
The story is nice enough, yet has no direction, reads like a prologue onto something bigger.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Katharina Gerlach on March 12, 2012 :
I loved this story and was sorry when it was over. The plot was simple and straightforward but with enough twists to keep it interesting. The characters were believable, and the "aliens" just the way they should be: non-human. I am looking forward to a sequel.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Kat Ross on Jan. 31, 2012 :
I read the whole thing during lunch and was so wrapped up in the story I forgot to eat.

The opening is a little slow, but once everything gets moving, the Dark Circus doesn’t stop. The descriptions of the characters and settings are clean and simple, giving you just enough information without getting bogged down.

I’ll admit that very little surprised me in the plot; it reads more like an old friend than a untried stranger. But that friend has a new outfit.

If I have a complaint, it is that I wanted the story to keep going. I wanted to know more, about the main character, the people chasing her, the tavern. Perhaps we will see more some day.
(reviewed long after purchase)

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