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A Maddie Hatter Adventure #1
Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond
****NEW Publisher's Edition AT ****
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is scraping a precarious living as a fashion reporter when the story of a lifetime falls into her lace-gloved hands.
Baron Bodmin, an adventurer with more failed quests than fingernails, has vanished in circumstances that are odd even for him. While he is supposedly hunting the fabled Eye of Africa diamond in the Nubian desert, his expeditionary airship is found adrift off the coast of England.
Maddie was the last reporter to see the potty peer alive. If she can locate the missing baron or the Eye of Africa, her career will be made.
Outraged investors and false friends complicate her quest, and a fiendish figure lurks in the shadows, ready to snatch the prize... at any price.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is scraping a precarious living as a fashion reporter when the story of a lifetime falls into her lace-gloved hands.
Baron Bodmin, an adventurer with more failed quests than fingernails, has vanished in circumstances that are odd even for him. While he is supposedly hunting the fabled Eye of Africa diamond in the Nubian desert, his expeditionary airship is found adrift off the coast of England.
Maddie was the last reporter to see the potty peer alive. If she can locate the missing baron or the Eye of Africa, her career will be made.
Outraged investors and false friends complicate her quest, and a fiendish figure lurks in the shadows, ready to snatch the prize... at any price.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
12 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 15, 2017
Lots of fun in this short novella length book, with a non stop cast of characters many from the game of Clue and a "famous Belgian Detective"?? The second book of the series is due out at the end of the month so I hope to learn more about Maddie then.
January 9, 2016
3.5 stars
Madeleine Main-Bearing, better known as Maddie Hatter, has fled her sheltered, cushioned life of the upper class in England and is working in Egypt as a fashion reporter for an English newspaper. But what she really wants is to be an investigative reporter. When the story of the Baron's disappearance hits, Maddie jumps on it, hoping it'll be her big break. She gets an allowance from her father provided no one in their social circle ever sees her or identifies her. So of course this mystery involves people from their social circle. :D
"Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond" is a fun romp. Maddie is smart, intrepid, brave, resourceful, and determined. She asks for help when she needs it and thinks fast on her feet. Barnard gives us some fun inventions, lots of humor (some of the character names are a nod to the board game Clue), and vivid characters paired with action, adventure, and hint, just a hint mind you, of romance. The mystery has a nice mix of easy clues, harder clues and red herrings. Part of the story has a Gothic feel but overall, the story is a light-hearted mystery. I hope there will be more Maddie Hatter adventures.
Madeleine Main-Bearing, better known as Maddie Hatter, has fled her sheltered, cushioned life of the upper class in England and is working in Egypt as a fashion reporter for an English newspaper. But what she really wants is to be an investigative reporter. When the story of the Baron's disappearance hits, Maddie jumps on it, hoping it'll be her big break. She gets an allowance from her father provided no one in their social circle ever sees her or identifies her. So of course this mystery involves people from their social circle. :D
"Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond" is a fun romp. Maddie is smart, intrepid, brave, resourceful, and determined. She asks for help when she needs it and thinks fast on her feet. Barnard gives us some fun inventions, lots of humor (some of the character names are a nod to the board game Clue), and vivid characters paired with action, adventure, and hint, just a hint mind you, of romance. The mystery has a nice mix of easy clues, harder clues and red herrings. Part of the story has a Gothic feel but overall, the story is a light-hearted mystery. I hope there will be more Maddie Hatter adventures.
April 7, 2016
Like a delightfully vintage game of Clue, Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond serves up a clever mystery in whimsical style. This is a Steampunk world, where airships roam the skies and clockwork sparrows relay messages like telegraphs, and the settings are imaginative, rich and colourful. (Quite literally!) Our heroine, Miss Madeleine Main-bearing, is smart, stylish and determined to crack this case in order to make the 'Big Leagues' as more than just a fashion consultant for the Daily Cog & Fog. It is written in period-style, so be prepared to be transported back over a hundred years, where ladies wore lace and bowler hats were all the rage. I especially enjoyed the bits in Egypt - I was easily carried along by memories of recent Mummy movies, with plucky heroines and dashing rogues. Throw in a 'grieving widow', a disgraced Army colonel and a tightly-wound American heiress, it was quite literally a tip-of-the-hat to Victorian serials and a delightfully quirky and entertaining read!
May 23, 2017
I bought myself this book on Saturday and I read Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond by Canadian Author Jayne Barnard over the weekend. This is a Steampunk Adventure Mystery currently recommended for readers of 12 and older. It was a fun read, I can totally see why younger readers and not so young readers like myself have so many wonderful things to say about this book. We set off on a grand adventure over land, sea and sky with Maddie who is undercover as an investigative journalist and navigating a world that is expectedly beneath her stature as the daughter of a Steamlord! So much to love in this strong and industrious main character. Her clockwork bird is more than a pet, more than a constant companion and a brilliant addition to the story. I loved this story and found it really easy to imagine, even plausible in an implausible way. Lovely read and first in what I hope is a long running series.
October 2, 2015
Madeleine Main-Bearing, aka Maddie Hatter, has fled a privileged upbringing to forge an unfettered destiny on her own wits and merits. In a world steeped in the grandest steampunk tradition, Maddie mingles with daring adventurers, stumbling detectives, secret societies, and high fashion socialites to investigate the mystery of a missing Baron and make a name for herself as a front page reporter with her very own byline.
The story is fun, well paced, and engaging, with lots of fantastic ‘Ah ha!’ moments. The writing is delightful and I especially adore all of the subtle (and not so subtle!) nods to famous people, places, and organizations, both literary and historical.
I can’t wait to read more!
The story is fun, well paced, and engaging, with lots of fantastic ‘Ah ha!’ moments. The writing is delightful and I especially adore all of the subtle (and not so subtle!) nods to famous people, places, and organizations, both literary and historical.
I can’t wait to read more!
April 13, 2017
Jayne Barnard has written a classic “Who Done It?” placed in the setting of a steam punk universe. Her extensive knowledge of Victorian times comes through clearly in details of clothing, behaviour, social class, and environment creating a tangible sense of the time period. She has blended this beautifully with steam punk culture. The author explains steam punk, as well as diesel punk and cyberpunk, in an interview on this blog here https://bferrante.wordpress.com/2017/.... Basically, steam machines are predominant. This includes dirigibles for cross Atlantic travel. Mix these two together and you get a recipe for a fun, unique mystery.
The major character calls herself Maddie Hatter in order to travel incognito as a reporter. She is in reality, the daughter of a rich and powerful Steamlord but prefers to make it in the world on her own mettle. However, in order to survive, she is forced to file fashion columns on a steady basis to pay her bills.
“She spent the afternoon composing a weeks worth of articles centred on Lady HH’s new Easter bonnet. This immense edifice of wire, linen, and lilies was worthy of a public Cathedral, and would be seen in one on Easter Sunday in London.”
The men of her era do not take her seriously and don’t hesitate to claim her detecting results as their own. Some young women reading this may be surprised as to how women were invisible in male social circles, especially women of the lower class.
Maddie is brave, clever, independent, and determined. We wish she would get the recognition she deserves but know that the best possible outcome is that she will be able to continue to live independently and pursue her dream of becoming a famous byline reporter. Not using her real name, of course. Since this book is the beginning of the series, we may yet hope that she will be justifiably rewarded for her courage and intelligence.
There is a list of cast members inspired by the game of Clue (Professor Plumb, Colonel Muster, Sir Ambrose Peacock) and the bigger-than-life explorers of the time period. Barnard uses a rich vocabulary which gives the text a Victorian quality. There is a missing trunk with a tribal mask holding a possibly magical massive diamond. There is an empty dirigible crashed far from its planned route. There are missing documents. Etc. I don’t like to say much about the plot of a mystery as it is too easy to accidentally include spoilers.
Hidden in the light-hearted text, the reader periodically comes across an absolute poetic piece of writing.
“She could look out over the desert below, its rocky outcrops and sloping dunes tinted blue by a waxing moon that shimmered over crests and lined each sandy windrow in purple shadow. Concerns of the civilized world were as ants beneath the weight of mere survival down there; up here, too, her worries faded before the vast empty majesty of the land and sky, the whisper of the night-time breeze teasing the sand into new patterns for the next morning. A bird warbled, alone in the immensity.”
Her description takes the writer to another world filled with sensations.
“In a very short time, Maddie, Clarice, and Nancy were walking down the gangplank to the Venetian aerodrome. The greeny-gray waters of the Grand Canal murmured four floors below, but the gangplank was wide and the side-rails sturdy oak. Their trunks, bags, and hat boxes followed in a veritable parade of porters. Mist kissed their cheeks, too delicate to be called rain, but leaving a slick over the vast, flat rooftop with its contra-dance of passengers, porters, and luggage. At the last step, the men in majordomo’s livery of black and teal – the Aquatiempe colors, Maddie recognized – lay in wait for them. A phalanx of one-wheeled automatons stood behind him, their armatures ready to take the load from the porters. Steamer trunks would be towed while smaller boxes were piled on their polished platforms. The ladies, the majordomo indicated with a bow and an outstretched hand, would be conveyed across the terminal and a teacup-shaped, auto-steering steam-carriage, painted and upholstered in teal with black accents.” And it continues.
If you enjoy lighthearted mysteries with unusual flavour, then this is a book for you.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for my Little Free Library.
The major character calls herself Maddie Hatter in order to travel incognito as a reporter. She is in reality, the daughter of a rich and powerful Steamlord but prefers to make it in the world on her own mettle. However, in order to survive, she is forced to file fashion columns on a steady basis to pay her bills.
“She spent the afternoon composing a weeks worth of articles centred on Lady HH’s new Easter bonnet. This immense edifice of wire, linen, and lilies was worthy of a public Cathedral, and would be seen in one on Easter Sunday in London.”
The men of her era do not take her seriously and don’t hesitate to claim her detecting results as their own. Some young women reading this may be surprised as to how women were invisible in male social circles, especially women of the lower class.
Maddie is brave, clever, independent, and determined. We wish she would get the recognition she deserves but know that the best possible outcome is that she will be able to continue to live independently and pursue her dream of becoming a famous byline reporter. Not using her real name, of course. Since this book is the beginning of the series, we may yet hope that she will be justifiably rewarded for her courage and intelligence.
There is a list of cast members inspired by the game of Clue (Professor Plumb, Colonel Muster, Sir Ambrose Peacock) and the bigger-than-life explorers of the time period. Barnard uses a rich vocabulary which gives the text a Victorian quality. There is a missing trunk with a tribal mask holding a possibly magical massive diamond. There is an empty dirigible crashed far from its planned route. There are missing documents. Etc. I don’t like to say much about the plot of a mystery as it is too easy to accidentally include spoilers.
Hidden in the light-hearted text, the reader periodically comes across an absolute poetic piece of writing.
“She could look out over the desert below, its rocky outcrops and sloping dunes tinted blue by a waxing moon that shimmered over crests and lined each sandy windrow in purple shadow. Concerns of the civilized world were as ants beneath the weight of mere survival down there; up here, too, her worries faded before the vast empty majesty of the land and sky, the whisper of the night-time breeze teasing the sand into new patterns for the next morning. A bird warbled, alone in the immensity.”
Her description takes the writer to another world filled with sensations.
“In a very short time, Maddie, Clarice, and Nancy were walking down the gangplank to the Venetian aerodrome. The greeny-gray waters of the Grand Canal murmured four floors below, but the gangplank was wide and the side-rails sturdy oak. Their trunks, bags, and hat boxes followed in a veritable parade of porters. Mist kissed their cheeks, too delicate to be called rain, but leaving a slick over the vast, flat rooftop with its contra-dance of passengers, porters, and luggage. At the last step, the men in majordomo’s livery of black and teal – the Aquatiempe colors, Maddie recognized – lay in wait for them. A phalanx of one-wheeled automatons stood behind him, their armatures ready to take the load from the porters. Steamer trunks would be towed while smaller boxes were piled on their polished platforms. The ladies, the majordomo indicated with a bow and an outstretched hand, would be conveyed across the terminal and a teacup-shaped, auto-steering steam-carriage, painted and upholstered in teal with black accents.” And it continues.
If you enjoy lighthearted mysteries with unusual flavour, then this is a book for you.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for my Little Free Library.
February 8, 2016
Maddie Hatter is an estranged daughter of a steam lord, trying to make her way into the world and not have her life decided for her, as she made her exit from the upper classes... permanent, it's important that no one discovers who she really is, because if she embarrasses her family name, she gets shipped to a convent. So Maddie did odd jobs until she wound up as a fashion reporter - a respectable living for a 'historically modern' woman that gives her an excuse to travel and see the world. When the case of career crosses her path, as not only a prominent explorer has found a priceless treasure, The Eye of Africa, he's also done gone got himself murdered. Maddie can't let the story go, as there is an imposter using her good name interlinked with the crime.
Without getting too Spoilerish - this is a fun, fluffy romp, probably aged at female readers 12+. Fluffy like a playful puppy or a kitten, not as in all style no substance. It's set in the Steampunk Victorian era in our world, with constant references to other old time British in-jokes (naming several characters very reminiscent to the Game Clue; Alice in Wonderland) though I'm sure I didn't catch them all. With her going about with journalism, mysteries, (and constantly putting on disguises where people recognized her) it reminded me of Tintin.
Although it seemed at times things fell into play very easily for our heroine, it was not obnoxious - and bonus points that the rest of the world, while admitting that Maddie is living outside social norms, doesn't have her be obnoxiously better than the rest of the characters. I will say though, that for a story about an African Artifact, well, there were certainly a lot of Brits and other Europeans as major characters, but considering how the plot drove home what classes are allowed to speak to who, it would make sense that Maddie is 'keeping to her own'. Also, if you're shy of violence and gore, once again, fluffy - there's really nothing graphic or intense about the story. Even though she's handling a murder mystery with a stolen treasure, it's really harmless.
Without getting too Spoilerish - this is a fun, fluffy romp, probably aged at female readers 12+. Fluffy like a playful puppy or a kitten, not as in all style no substance. It's set in the Steampunk Victorian era in our world, with constant references to other old time British in-jokes (naming several characters very reminiscent to the Game Clue; Alice in Wonderland) though I'm sure I didn't catch them all. With her going about with journalism, mysteries, (and constantly putting on disguises where people recognized her) it reminded me of Tintin.
Although it seemed at times things fell into play very easily for our heroine, it was not obnoxious - and bonus points that the rest of the world, while admitting that Maddie is living outside social norms, doesn't have her be obnoxiously better than the rest of the characters. I will say though, that for a story about an African Artifact, well, there were certainly a lot of Brits and other Europeans as major characters, but considering how the plot drove home what classes are allowed to speak to who, it would make sense that Maddie is 'keeping to her own'. Also, if you're shy of violence and gore, once again, fluffy - there's really nothing graphic or intense about the story. Even though she's handling a murder mystery with a stolen treasure, it's really harmless.
May 20, 2016
https://noranydroptoread.com/2016/05/...
I find the details of steampunk irresistible; if they're done well, I overlook deficiencies of plot or character development. So imagine my delight at a fun steampunk novel that also provides a memorable heroine and an absorbing mystery AND is surely the start of a series.
Maddie Hatter is the alter ego of Madeleine Main-Bearing, wealthy daughter of a Steamlord. Maddie is a fashion writer in Egypt hoping for a story that will give her more meaningful reporting jobs than what gloves the ladies in Cairo are wearing, when her potential big break falls from the skies--Baron Bodmin has disappeared while seeking the Eye of Africa, a priceless diamond. If Maddie can find either the baron or the diamond, her career will skyrocket. But when the mystery leads her back to England, she has to tread carefully--revealing her identity would incur her powerful father's wrath.
The steampunk world Barnard has created is rich in detail. Maddie's clockwork bird in particular is inspired, and even steals a scene or two. There are nods to Agatha Christie, Clue, and Indiana Jones (and Alice in Wonderland, of course), which add to the fun. Maddie is an engaging heroine, and her decision to abandon her birthright in favor of adventure and a career makes her a sympathetic one. She's smart and capable, but asks for help when she needs it. There are plenty of clues and red herrings to keep Maddie and the reader guessing until the end.
A throughly enjoyable steampunk mystery.
Source disclosure: I purchased this e-book.
I find the details of steampunk irresistible; if they're done well, I overlook deficiencies of plot or character development. So imagine my delight at a fun steampunk novel that also provides a memorable heroine and an absorbing mystery AND is surely the start of a series.
Maddie Hatter is the alter ego of Madeleine Main-Bearing, wealthy daughter of a Steamlord. Maddie is a fashion writer in Egypt hoping for a story that will give her more meaningful reporting jobs than what gloves the ladies in Cairo are wearing, when her potential big break falls from the skies--Baron Bodmin has disappeared while seeking the Eye of Africa, a priceless diamond. If Maddie can find either the baron or the diamond, her career will skyrocket. But when the mystery leads her back to England, she has to tread carefully--revealing her identity would incur her powerful father's wrath.
The steampunk world Barnard has created is rich in detail. Maddie's clockwork bird in particular is inspired, and even steals a scene or two. There are nods to Agatha Christie, Clue, and Indiana Jones (and Alice in Wonderland, of course), which add to the fun. Maddie is an engaging heroine, and her decision to abandon her birthright in favor of adventure and a career makes her a sympathetic one. She's smart and capable, but asks for help when she needs it. There are plenty of clues and red herrings to keep Maddie and the reader guessing until the end.
A throughly enjoyable steampunk mystery.
Source disclosure: I purchased this e-book.
September 3, 2017
Here Here! Future Detectives Alert!
One of the distinctive features about Maddie Hatter, qualities that result in her grand success, is that she observes and wonders about things. She asks questions, and works with a team. She is tremendously versatile. Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond is an adventurous tale for very observant youth seeking to become fine detectives one day!
One of the distinctive features about Maddie Hatter, qualities that result in her grand success, is that she observes and wonders about things. She asks questions, and works with a team. She is tremendously versatile. Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond is an adventurous tale for very observant youth seeking to become fine detectives one day!
September 30, 2015
Fast and cheeky! A fun read. Maddie is painted with a light brush, perfect for allowing choices for developing this character. Maddie's adventures have just begun. It will be fun to find out how Maddie grows and develops!!
January 23, 2016
A fun, cozy murder mystery set in an English steampunk setting.
February 11, 2021
Para ser un middle-grade, desde luego no se corta con el vocabulario. Fuera de eso, y dejando aparte una extraña obsesión por las abreviaturas al comienzo del libro, me ha gustado mucho. Los personajes son carismáticos y su mundo, en especial, me ha parecido bastante imaginativo para un género que se asienta tanto en la estética. Quiero decir, es un Cluedo steampunk (más steam que punk, ya sabéis como va esto) con apariciones estelares de Indiana Jones y Hércules Poirot. Una combinación de elementos que no esperaba encontrar, pero a la que doy alegremente la bienvenida. Good stuff.
July 1, 2018
Cute - a bit too unrealistic in the gadgetry area for my personal tastes but a very cute story and fun mystery.
January 12, 2022
A fun steampunk adventure that goes from Cairo to Venice to England, with much of the time spent on airships. I look forward to the further adventures of Maddie.
March 12, 2023
Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond is the first book in the steampunk trilogy featuring, yes you guessed it, Maddie Hatter. The story was created by Canadian author Jayne Barnard, who is also known for her crime series, The Falls Mysteries.
The Deadly Diamond is a YA, steampunk - light story which features Maddie Hatter, a young lady, daughter of a Steamlord. Maddie is hiding out in Egypt, trying to avoid an arranged marriage by making a life for herself as an investigative journalist. Unfortunately for Maddie, she is stuck in the fashion circuit, reporting on what the high polloi are wearing as they summer in Cairo. While there she gets involved trying to solve the disappearance of famed English explorer, Baron Bodmin, who was searching for the Diamond of Africa. When Bodmin's body floats up on shore in England, Maddie will begin a journey from Egypt, to Venice and onward to England to try and solve the mystery.
It's not a perfect story by any means but it's entertaining and is a nice teaser for Barnard's steampunk world; neat airships, mechanical sparrows that can record conversations and even provide videos. There is lots of action and Maddie is an interesting character. Her pal Obie, who works for Madame Taxus-Hemlock, as does Maddie in fact, is also a great character and helps her throughout this adventure.
I think this would make a great graphic novel as well as Jayne draws wonderful pictures of the clothing, the locales, the people, but it's still enjoyable as a story. I hope Book 2 continues to develop the characters and I'm looking forward to reading about parasol dueling. 😁 (3 stars)
The Deadly Diamond is a YA, steampunk - light story which features Maddie Hatter, a young lady, daughter of a Steamlord. Maddie is hiding out in Egypt, trying to avoid an arranged marriage by making a life for herself as an investigative journalist. Unfortunately for Maddie, she is stuck in the fashion circuit, reporting on what the high polloi are wearing as they summer in Cairo. While there she gets involved trying to solve the disappearance of famed English explorer, Baron Bodmin, who was searching for the Diamond of Africa. When Bodmin's body floats up on shore in England, Maddie will begin a journey from Egypt, to Venice and onward to England to try and solve the mystery.
It's not a perfect story by any means but it's entertaining and is a nice teaser for Barnard's steampunk world; neat airships, mechanical sparrows that can record conversations and even provide videos. There is lots of action and Maddie is an interesting character. Her pal Obie, who works for Madame Taxus-Hemlock, as does Maddie in fact, is also a great character and helps her throughout this adventure.
I think this would make a great graphic novel as well as Jayne draws wonderful pictures of the clothing, the locales, the people, but it's still enjoyable as a story. I hope Book 2 continues to develop the characters and I'm looking forward to reading about parasol dueling. 😁 (3 stars)
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June 6, 20222016 finalist for Prix Aurora & Alberta Book of the Year awards
It’s 1899 and Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is scraping a precarious living as a fashion reporter when the story of a lifetime falls into her lace-gloved hands. Baron Bodmin, an adventurer with more failed quests than fan mail, has vanished on the trail of a legendary diamond-studded mask.
Then the baron’s mistress flees too, with a handbag full of stolen jewelry and Maddie’s most secret papers. To retrieve them she must catch the first airship out of Egypt, risking recognition at every stage of her continent-hopping quest for the baron’s story and the sheer satisfaction of exposing that conniving con-woman!
“A jewel of a story filled with delightful surprises”
“Like a delightfully vintage game of Clue… Our Heroine is smart, stylish, and determined."
“Filled with intriguing gadgets, fantastical aircraft,exotic locations, interesting characters and even parasol dueling!”
#mystery #Clue #GameOfClue #airship #OceanLiner #AgeOfSteam #AmateurSleuth #HerculePoirot #LadyDetective #EnolaHolmes #Kindle #KindleUnlimited #LadySherlock #KU #fiction #bookstagram #Booklovers #WomenAuthors #reviewers #bookreviews #mystery #gadgets #VictorianMystery
It’s 1899 and Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is scraping a precarious living as a fashion reporter when the story of a lifetime falls into her lace-gloved hands. Baron Bodmin, an adventurer with more failed quests than fan mail, has vanished on the trail of a legendary diamond-studded mask.
Then the baron’s mistress flees too, with a handbag full of stolen jewelry and Maddie’s most secret papers. To retrieve them she must catch the first airship out of Egypt, risking recognition at every stage of her continent-hopping quest for the baron’s story and the sheer satisfaction of exposing that conniving con-woman!
“A jewel of a story filled with delightful surprises”
“Like a delightfully vintage game of Clue… Our Heroine is smart, stylish, and determined."
“Filled with intriguing gadgets, fantastical aircraft,exotic locations, interesting characters and even parasol dueling!”
#mystery #Clue #GameOfClue #airship #OceanLiner #AgeOfSteam #AmateurSleuth #HerculePoirot #LadyDetective #EnolaHolmes #Kindle #KindleUnlimited #LadySherlock #KU #fiction #bookstagram #Booklovers #WomenAuthors #reviewers #bookreviews #mystery #gadgets #VictorianMystery
July 16, 2021
Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond is my first brush with Steampunk and if the rest of the genre is only half as entertaining, it won’t be my last. This novel creates a wonderful world where travel is by airship, and the business of everyday life is filled with delightful devices.
In this utterly believable alternate time and place, Barnard gives us the charmingly ambitious Maddie Hatter, a woman who must hide her position of wealth and privilege to pursue the journalism career she covets. Determined and resourceful, she travels from Egypt to Cornwall in search of the missing Baron Bodman and his mysterious diamond.
Not only is the story entertaining and well-told, Barnard has developed a distinctive voice that begins on the cover (‘penned by’) and holds up to the conclusion.
I sincerely hope we see a return of Maddie Hatter!
In this utterly believable alternate time and place, Barnard gives us the charmingly ambitious Maddie Hatter, a woman who must hide her position of wealth and privilege to pursue the journalism career she covets. Determined and resourceful, she travels from Egypt to Cornwall in search of the missing Baron Bodman and his mysterious diamond.
Not only is the story entertaining and well-told, Barnard has developed a distinctive voice that begins on the cover (‘penned by’) and holds up to the conclusion.
I sincerely hope we see a return of Maddie Hatter!
May 9, 2017
This is a supremely delightful book!
I like steampunk world's that stay consistent to their version of Victoriana and this one is solid. It doesn't have the rust and grit that steampunk often has but it more than makes up for it with polish and playfulness, to whit, the character names were perfection!
There is a lot of room to continue the world building already set down and I am left curious, in the best way, about all the things hinted at. I definitely would like to see some sort of acknowledgement of colonial interests in the exotic locations visited and maybe see a later story interact more with local populations. In any case, this first book has hooked me completely and hopefully we will get scads more volumes of the adventures of Maddie Hatterly!!!
I like steampunk world's that stay consistent to their version of Victoriana and this one is solid. It doesn't have the rust and grit that steampunk often has but it more than makes up for it with polish and playfulness, to whit, the character names were perfection!
There is a lot of room to continue the world building already set down and I am left curious, in the best way, about all the things hinted at. I definitely would like to see some sort of acknowledgement of colonial interests in the exotic locations visited and maybe see a later story interact more with local populations. In any case, this first book has hooked me completely and hopefully we will get scads more volumes of the adventures of Maddie Hatterly!!!
December 14, 2016
What a fun book! I am not big into steampunk per se, although I quite enjoyed Soulless. But I love adventure and strong female protagonists, and Maddy delivers on both. The story moves at a nice pace, keeping the action moving while still giving the characters room to develop. Will she ever get her byline?
November 1, 2015
This was a fun and entertaining read.
August 22, 2016
Steampunk meets the classic board game Clue in a whirlwind tale of espionage!
February 17, 2017
Absolutely delightful, spirited, occasionally hilarious mashup of an adventure, somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and the boardgame, CLUE. Fun!
March 3, 2022
Една бърза, динамична, младежка поредица със стиймпънк елементи, отваряща вратите към невъзможен свят на парни лордове с метални коси, отнасяйки техническият прогрес на едно фантастично, великолепно ниво, насложено върху почти познатата ни реалност. Младите дами обаче продължават да са разменната монета при преговорите между силните на деня, третирани като крави за разплод, а не като хора с реални чувства и нужни. Но това няма да мине пред Мади Хатър – може и да я наречете Лудата шапкарка, заради особения ѝ навик да има винаги поне една широкопола шапка по ръка, на която е кацнало застинало птиченце, което при малко по-детайлна проверка ще разберете, че е супертехнологичен автоматон с характер, камера, записвачка, принтер и аларма, чуваща се през няколко континента. Мади иска истински живот, и ако това значи да зареже богатство и сигурност, и да ги замени с постоянен поток неприятности и приключения – нека така да бъде.
Откриваме мис Хатър в египетската жега, откъдето тя предава дълги репортажи относно дамската мода в жежко време по етерния факс, но всъщност разследва мистериозно изчезване на дири��абъл, ужасно убийство на амбициозен благородник, безлика дама, присвояваща си куп самоличности, и междувременно издирва гигантски кървав диамант. Общо взето Мади е доста заета дама, която обаче е твърде много свикнала да виждат в нея синята кръв, и тя да ѝ отваря всички врати, а не да се бори за всяка своя закуска и сън наравно с работническата класа. Може и да звучи сериозно, но не е – това са леки, динамични приключенски романи, които ще отведат Мади през океани и континенти, до Америка и Европа, в пищната Венеция и ледената Англия, срещайки всякакви препятствия пред себе си, докато се опитва да оцелява в абсурдни ситуации с минимални шансове, но накрая всичко ще бъде наред.
Леко приключение, кинематографично, лесно четимо и забавно, разтоварващо и според мен идеално за комикс поредица. На моменти напомня Чадъреният протекторат на Гейл Кариджър, особено когато започнат да се дуелират с чадъри с наострени като кинжали метални върхове, но свръхестествени елементи липсват, заменени от стиймпънк технологии и чисто приключенстване без много размисли, а само с чисто действие. Дъвка за ума? Че кой не харесва дъвки?
Откриваме мис Хатър в египетската жега, откъдето тя предава дълги репортажи относно дамската мода в жежко време по етерния факс, но всъщност разследва мистериозно изчезване на дири��абъл, ужасно убийство на амбициозен благородник, безлика дама, присвояваща си куп самоличности, и междувременно издирва гигантски кървав диамант. Общо взето Мади е доста заета дама, която обаче е твърде много свикнала да виждат в нея синята кръв, и тя да ѝ отваря всички врати, а не да се бори за всяка своя закуска и сън наравно с работническата класа. Може и да звучи сериозно, но не е – това са леки, динамични приключенски романи, които ще отведат Мади през океани и континенти, до Америка и Европа, в пищната Венеция и ледената Англия, срещайки всякакви препятствия пред себе си, докато се опитва да оцелява в абсурдни ситуации с минимални шансове, но накрая всичко ще бъде наред.
Леко приключение, кинематографично, лесно четимо и забавно, разтоварващо и според мен идеално за комикс поредица. На моменти напомня Чадъреният протекторат на Гейл Кариджър, особено когато започнат да се дуелират с чадъри с наострени като кинжали метални върхове, но свръхестествени елементи липсват, заменени от стиймпънк технологии и чисто приключенстване без много размисли, а само с чисто действие. Дъвка за ума? Че кой не харесва дъвки?
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October 8, 2021In this light-hearted adventure, Maddie Hatter (just one of her names...) follows the trail of a missing explorer and his priceless finds through a quirky steampunk world.
The worldbuilding was distinctive but fairly light, which I enjoyed. Personally, I don't like getting bogged down by "rules of the world" to the extent I can't follow the story. We have a multi-part mystery with a fair cast of suspects. The reader is quite explicitly led through Maddie's deductive process with various points explained, so there's little risk of getting lost in the plot.
I'd say this is a low-tension story. When Maddie's stuck regarding where to go next, various parties show up to help her. Additionally, although she has ongoing concerns about being "outed" in her real identity, she doesn't experience any serious consequences to pay off her anxiety. Both these aspects felt a bit convenient, with not much sense of payoff.
Overall, a quick, gentle read with some interesting steampunk aspects.
The worldbuilding was distinctive but fairly light, which I enjoyed. Personally, I don't like getting bogged down by "rules of the world" to the extent I can't follow the story. We have a multi-part mystery with a fair cast of suspects. The reader is quite explicitly led through Maddie's deductive process with various points explained, so there's little risk of getting lost in the plot.
I'd say this is a low-tension story. When Maddie's stuck regarding where to go next, various parties show up to help her. Additionally, although she has ongoing concerns about being "outed" in her real identity, she doesn't experience any serious consequences to pay off her anxiety. Both these aspects felt a bit convenient, with not much sense of payoff.
Overall, a quick, gentle read with some interesting steampunk aspects.
December 23, 2018
I know very little about steampunk, but I loved this book. The drawings and the references to various characters in the Clue game, and to a certain Belgian detective, added to my enjoyment of the story. I plan to read all the Maddie Hatter Adventures.
August 5, 2022
Entertaining and lively! Loved it.
February 7, 2016
A Jewel of a Story
Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is a frustrated fashion reporter with a loftier ambition to see her byline in a London Newspaper. While in Cairo, she finally has her chance to live her dream when she is called upon to investigate the disappearance of Baron Bodmin, an adventurer who has vanished from his airship while on the hunt for treasure.
As Deadly Diamond is my first experience with Steampunk, I checked out The Calgary Steampunk Assemblage website and learned that Steampunk is a steam-powered world sent sometime in the late 19th century, “where air travel by fantastical airships and submarines is as common as traveling by car, train or boat ...”
In Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond, Barnard has married this fantasy world and historical time to create a story that moves as swiftly and expertly as one of her self-propelled teacarts. I was hooked from the first page. The voice and tone throughout the story is spot on for this time and place. And the setting is evocative because of the attention to detail Barnard has taken care to deliver.
Maddie is an original and engaging main character, who is just naughty and driven enough to be believable and highly likable. What’s more, the story is full of delightful surprises that keep the reader turning pages. I adore all the fantastical "modern" conveniences such as the brass “news” monkeys and especially Maddie's sidekick Tweetle-D—an automaton sparrow that hides in Maddie’s hat to gather and record top-secret information.
Deadly Diamond is an engaging and highly entertaining read for any age. I hope I will be enjoying Maddie Hatter’s next adventure very soon!
Miss Maddie Hatter, renegade daughter of a powerful Steamlord, is a frustrated fashion reporter with a loftier ambition to see her byline in a London Newspaper. While in Cairo, she finally has her chance to live her dream when she is called upon to investigate the disappearance of Baron Bodmin, an adventurer who has vanished from his airship while on the hunt for treasure.
As Deadly Diamond is my first experience with Steampunk, I checked out The Calgary Steampunk Assemblage website and learned that Steampunk is a steam-powered world sent sometime in the late 19th century, “where air travel by fantastical airships and submarines is as common as traveling by car, train or boat ...”
In Maddie Hatter and the Deadly Diamond, Barnard has married this fantasy world and historical time to create a story that moves as swiftly and expertly as one of her self-propelled teacarts. I was hooked from the first page. The voice and tone throughout the story is spot on for this time and place. And the setting is evocative because of the attention to detail Barnard has taken care to deliver.
Maddie is an original and engaging main character, who is just naughty and driven enough to be believable and highly likable. What’s more, the story is full of delightful surprises that keep the reader turning pages. I adore all the fantastical "modern" conveniences such as the brass “news” monkeys and especially Maddie's sidekick Tweetle-D—an automaton sparrow that hides in Maddie’s hat to gather and record top-secret information.
Deadly Diamond is an engaging and highly entertaining read for any age. I hope I will be enjoying Maddie Hatter’s next adventure very soon!
November 2, 2015
Within the first pages I was captivated by Maddie Hatter who is determined to break out of the aristocratic straitjacket imposed upon her by her noble father, the Marquis of Main-Bearing. In Cairo, Maddie has transformed herself into an 'ordinary' woman to pursue a career in journalism and move beyond her assignment as a fashion commentator. Embarking on a neo-Victorian adventure to find the truth about a curious Baron missing after his airship has crashed, could just be the key to launching Maddie's new career. What follows is a rousing adventure peopled by fabulous characters, combined with a mystery that will keep you guessing right to the last. A story like this might have been considered light fare were it not for the author's terrific writing. She knows her craft very well. I also loved the many touches giving the novel its steampunk flavor like Maddie's mechanical bird, TD. And the text is punctuated with a number of neat illustrations, adding to the richness of the novel. Maddies' adventure will keep you entertained long after midnight!
October 2, 2018
Maddie Hatter and the deadly Diamond is the first mystery book I have ever read that got me on page one and took me for the best adventure I have had in a while. I loved the tweetles, and Maddie herself.
I also have to say I want a TD.
First the author takes you with Maddie not just telling you what Maddie does. Second she writes interesting and fun characters even the villeins are interesting.
Definitely a book I will reread over and over.
I also have to say I want a TD.
First the author takes you with Maddie not just telling you what Maddie does. Second she writes interesting and fun characters even the villeins are interesting.
Definitely a book I will reread over and over.
December 11, 2016
I really enjoyed this steampunk mystery. I have only dabbled in the steampunk world occasionally but found I could follow this incarnation easily. Maddie is a strong character and reminded me of strong Regency heroines I have met. The mystery was compelling and mysterious at the same time. I look forward to the Maddie Hatter and the Gilded Gauge to be released in April 2017!
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