Hidden City of Alchemy
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The hail of gunfire from the motor-wagon increased, smashing one of the lanterns and spilling kerosene down one side. Lizzie fired again, pulling the trigger until no bullets remained inside the gun and the hammer clicked against the firing pin. With more gunfire from the vehicle behind, an errant spark from a ricocheting bullet caused the liquid to ignite. Flames roared up the side and she flinched back, almost losing her grip on a swearing Albert. He turned towards her. “We have to jump.” Is he mad? Jump where? Seeing her hesitation, Albert stood up on the driving board, putting one booted foot on the wooden dash. Before she realised his intention, he gathered her towards him, lifting her easily with one strong arm. She found herself clutched to his broad chest with her arms around his neck. With a grunt he leapt, and in that weightless moment her heart rose with his momentum, threatening to beat out of her chest. They landed square on the back of one of the fire-panicked horses. With his arms around her, he gathered the excess rein in one hand and reached between their bodies. Despite the danger, or perhaps because of it, even the back of his gloved hand across her corset sent electric tingles through her as he pulled out a wickedly sharp knife. She moved with him as he leant forward to cut the traces and free the horses from their confinement. As the horses leapt away, she gripped the gun tightly, making sure it would not fall. She wanted to reload, as she heard the motor-wagon in pursuit behind the flaming clarence. How would they survive this? The burning carriage rolled out of control behind them, jounced wildly, the remaining reins tangled in the front wheels. With a jerk the burning clarence pitched end over end, smashing into the cobblestones with a thunderous crash. The horses, now freed, whinnied in fear and raced forward. Clutched against Albert’s chest, Lizzie heard the motor-wagon slam into the carriage and swerve into a wall.
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About the Book
Hidden City of Alchemy is a Steampunk adventure injected with just the right amount of science fiction, romance, and historical fiction, to keep the reader on their toes. A smart and brave heroine with a love for inventing discovers a dangerous family secret in a diary after her mother is kidnapped by German spies. Lizzie must leave London and travel to France while learning the shocking truth about her ancestor and about a chemical which could destroy the world, if it should fall into the wrong hands. AU UPDATE 2.28.2020: “An exciting ride through a steampunk world filled with adventure. Surprises around every corner!” - Madolyn Locke, award-winning author of ‘The Quilt’ Stand-alone steampunk tale from Melissa Coleman 5-star readers favourite award-winning author of A Confabulated Compendium of Anecdotes and The Halfling. Young English woman, Elizabeth Peters has a ski-sloped nose, a hereditary defect from her father’s side. But what is distinguishable about her is her intelligence. She’d rather spend her time inventing gadgets, redesigning engineering contraptions and doing word puzzles than becoming a respectable housewife as her mother wishes. Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down one evening when she arrives home to find the house has been ransacked and her mother missing from her basement workshop – presumably kidnapped by German spies. After sifting through the wreckage, she discovers a dangerous family secret in a peculiar-looking cryptic diary, a strange talking ring and a French man - Albert Bourdillon. Lizzie must leave London and travel to France while learning the shocking truth about the owner of the diary and about a chemical which could destroy the world, if it should fall into the wrong hands. A chemical threat so lethal it could destroy herself, the people she loves and the world. Hidden City of Alchemy is a Steampunk adventure injected with just the right amount of science fiction, romance, and historical fiction, to keep the reader on their toes.
About the Author
Melissa's debut novel, The Halfling, was awarded 5-star reviews from Readers Favourite and her second offering likewise received great reviews, earning 5-stars. Her journalistic writings have appeared in Regional and National newspapers, and online media outlets. You can visit Melissa's blog for news, reviews and upcoming events or the latest progress on future novels and short stories. In 2018, Melissa married her best friend and changed her name to reflect that. Contact Melissa Coleman: Website: www.melissahcoleman.com Email: wordsmith@melissahcoleman.com Social media: @melhnorthauthor Goodreads: Melissa H. North AU UPDATE: Award-winning author Melissa Coleman published her first Steampunk anthology - A Confabulated Compendium of Anecdotes - in 2017. She is a freelance journalist, a bibliophile, and a karaoke champion, although her pet Maremma would beg to differ. Through her books Melissa provides a glimpse into her imagination, unfettered by the laws of logic and probability, a most anomalous wordsmith. She loves to transport readers to a time when zeppelins and automatons are considered the norm and where heroes with retrofuturistic gadgets monopolise the page.