Alexia Tarabotti is everything that is not considered "beautiful" in Victorian England. Her skin is slightly darker (she is half Italian after all), she has a slightly bigger nose, she has a full figure, she is quite outspoken, and she enjoys reading. Her mother never lets her forget her shortcomings (nor understand them) and has placed Alexia firmly on the shelf (or not for marriage).
So Alexia is understandably minding her own business at a ball (trying to find some food that was promised but never appeared), when she is accosted by a hungry vampire. Unluckily for said vampire, Alexia is "soulless" (she does not have a soul, and therefore renders supernaturals "human" again when she touches them). So Alexia questions him, finds out that he was unaware of "preternaturals" (as soulless ones are known by), then has to kill him when he decides to continue his attack.
Unfortunately, the vampire's death brings Alexia under the attention of Lord Conall Maccon, the Earl of Woolsey, Alpha of the London werewolves, liaison of the Bureau of Unnatural Registry (or BUR, a division of Queen Victoria's Civil Service), and a member of QueenVictoria's Shadow Parliament. Alexia and Lord Maccon always seem to rub each other the wrong way, but they also do seem to enjoy their bickering. Both need answers as to why a rove vampire was there in the first place, and Alexia decides to accept the invitation of the hive queen of Westminster (vampire) to find out.
Meanwhile, Professor Lyall, the Beta of Maccon's pack and member of BUR, finds out that rove vampires (not part of a hive) and loner werewolves (not part of a pack) have also been going missing from all around England. Something strange is going on, and many in the supernatual community believe Alexia is behind it. It will take Alexia, Maccon, and several other members of the supernatural community to find out what is going on and stop it, before any more supernaturals end up dead or missing. Alexia might just wind up off the shelf before they are through, as well.
If you enjoy Steampunk or the supernatural (or both), this is a must-read for you. This story is really fun, witty, and I warn you that if you read it in public, you will get funny looks when you laugh out loud (and you will).
The other books in the series are Changeless, Blameless, Heartless, and Timeless.
We also have the graphic novel!!
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