The Engineer's Nemesis — Shelley Adina

A chateau in sunny Provence should have meant a holiday, but murder casts a long shadow...Lady Georgia and Millie Brunel are invited to the Chateau de Valmy by Anne MacLeod, the vicomtesse, an old school friend of Georgia's. In Provence, Anne assures them, they will find sunshine, the scent of lavender, wonderful meals, and a respite from danger. But before a week has passed, Anne is prostrate with grief. The vicomte is dead, and Georgia and Millie find evidence that suggests his death wasn't a natural one. Anne begs them not to involve the local gendarmes—the family will be publicly shamed, and their primary suspect, of course, will be Anne herself. With no help forthcoming, then, it is up to Georgia and Millie to discover who could have done this terrible thing. Is someone in the chateau holding a fatal grudge? Or is Anne hiding a secret? Because murder is always about money, power, revenge ... or love.I found it refreshing to read something where the main characters are 'women of a certain age.' Both women have agency, intelligence, and the backbone to use them. Being women and products of their social class, they are limited in their ability to be taken seriously by those in charge, which makes the conflict organic. And look out for the chickens. There are always chickens. —Fanbase PressThe Engineer's Nemesis is the third cozy fantasy novel in the Lady Georgia Brunel Mysteries series set in the Magnificent Devices steampunk world. Though the books can be read as standalones, there are threads of love and family, tea and chickens, running through them all. No strong language, just a very proper kiss or two and a satisfying solution. If you like books by Gail Carriger, Deanna Raybourne, or Sherry Thomas, you're in the right place. Enjoy!