The Order of Duval

The Twins of Bellesfées #3

by Ef Deal

A Family, Bound by Blood, Though Not Born of Blood

Lost souls abound at Bellesfées, some found, and others only just discovered. But when Jacqueline Duval goes missing, along with a beast of a locomotive built through the sweat and blood of innocents, the foundlings Jacky has taken under her wing must rally to bring her home again.

To rescue their future, the self-styled Order of Duval must conquer the specters of the past or risk all being lost to the aether.

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

Ef Deal is a new voice in the genre of speculative steampunk with her debut novel, Esprit de Corpse, but she is not new to publishing. Her short fiction has appeared in various magazines and ezines over the years. Her short story “Czesko,” published in the March 2006 F&SF, was given honorable mention in Gardner Dozois' Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy, which gave both her and Gardner great delight. They laughed and laughed and sipped Scotch (not cognac, alas) over the last line.

Currently, her works can be found in A Cast of Crows, Soul Scream Antholozine Vol. 1, Conspiracies & Cryptids Vol. 1, Beach Shorts, and Dangerous Waters.

Despite her preoccupation with old-school drum and bugle corps ~ playing, composing, arranging, and teaching ~ Ef Deal can usually be found at the keyboard of her computer rather than her piano. She is Assistant Fiction Editor at Abyss & Apex magazine and edits videos for the YouTube channel Strong Women ~ Strange Worlds Quick Reads.

Esprit de Corpse from eSpec Books is the first of a series featuring the brilliant 19th-century sisters, the Twins of Bellesfées Jacqueline and Angélique. Hard science blends with the paranormal as they challenge the supernatural invasion of France in 1843.

Ef Deal lives in historic Haddonfield, NJ, in a once-haunted Victorian with her husband and chow. She is a member of SFWA and HWA.

Reviews

[Tom Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ef Deal’s The Order of Duval (Book Three in the series) takes everything I loved about the first two adventures and cranks it up to eleven! More robots. More dirigibles. More werewolves. More deliciously evil villains. This book has it all.

When Jacqueline vanishes while investigating a haunted train engine, her sister Angelique races against time to save her. She calls on “The Order of Duval,” a fierce group of women whose lives were forever changed by the Duval sisters in Book Two, Aeros and Heroes. What follows is an unforgettable blend of steampunk invention, supernatural twists, humor, and pulse-pounding suspense.

If you love Jacqueline’s amazing engineering skills, this book is for you.
If you love Angelique’s powerful werewolf abilities, this book is for you.
If you love the imaginative world of 1800s steampunk, this book is for you.

And if you love a great story that combines vivid imagery, sly humor, and moments of Stephen King–level horror, then this book is definitely for you.

I can’t wait for Book Four!

[William Donahue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started on the journey of the Twins of Bellesfees with Esprit de Corpse, which was phenomenal. Then came the follow-up, Aeros & Heroes, which blew me away; I loved how the author brought in more supernatural elements with a truly entrancing antagonist (Mircalla). They say good things come in threes, and that was certainly the case with The Order of Duval--the third in Ef Deal's series. The author upends the Twins of Bellesfees' world, and also takes the action from France, where the balance of the trilogy's story has been set, to a locale much closer to home (no spoilers here). Almost everything about this story is perfect, and I am thrilled to here we likely have not seen the last of our heroes, Jacqueline and Angelique.

[Steve Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third novel of the Twins of Bellesfees, and a fantastic one it is. The Twins have some new additions to their allies, and they are stretched to their limits as they are separated and forced to reckon with terrible forces. Laced with historical events and their terrible consequences, this is a heart-rending tale that is not to be missed. A must read.

[Lawrence Schoen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining characters romping through a blend of so many tropes makes this latest offering by Ef Deal a delightful read.

[K.C. Grifant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly charming! This fast-paced adventure is Imaginative, deliciously fun and unsettling at times, with a cast of bold and unique characters and a twisty plot with delightful turns.

[Goodness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

Highly recommended!