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Addleton Heights

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New Year’s Eve 1901: Six hundred feet above the Atlantic Ocean, the platform city of Addleton Heights balances on massive, soot-covered metal stilts. A grisly double murder interrupts the party in the floating mansion of the city’s most powerful man, and for reasons unknown, he coerces detective-for-hire T.H. Kipsey into taking the enigmatic case.

George Wright Padgett weaves a cat-and-mouse mystery through a steampunk, alternate-American history that will thrill readers of Cherie Priest's Boneshaker and Christopher Beats steam-noir Magnocracy series. Join Kip as he races against time to unravel the clues that will thrust him across the city, up to the clouds, and into the depths beneath Addleton Heights.

Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2016

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George Wright Padgett

6 books15 followers

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5 stars
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5 (27%)
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2 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Suzi Hunt.
5 reviews1 follower
February 9, 2017
Really enjoyable and interesting novel! I loved exploring the alternate reality presented in Addleton Heights and I am sure that fans of steam punk adventure would as well. The characters were very well developed and the plot was exciting - so much so that I read the book in one sitting! That author introduces new slang, technology, and concepts, which are then subtly but thoroughly explained. Overall a very imaginative and inventive novel, which I would highly recommend to others!
Profile Image for Andrea Renfrow.
Author 3 books47 followers
October 9, 2016
If you've clicked over to see about this awesome new book that isn't out yet - please click here too: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

You could be first in line for a signed copy, meet the author, and party with some awesome people like myself (I think I'm awesome anyway). Steampunk or semi formal attire and our venue is THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE. I'm so stoked about that. We'll be hanging out in the Cabinet of Curiosities room where everything can be touched.

Also, check out my review here: https://anakalianwhims.wordpress.com/...
Profile Image for H.C.H. Ritz.
Author 7 books22 followers
July 20, 2016
A very fun read. Great immersive setting, tremendously fun slang, characters to love and hate, and genuinely exciting action.
Profile Image for Margaret.
615 reviews16 followers
May 15, 2017
So this is an honest-to-goodness steampunk novel! As well as a James Bond/Wild Wild West/ex-cop down-on-his-luck private detective murder mystery! I'd read what I thought were steampunk novels before but this one takes the cake! This novel not only has the obligatory steam airships, cars, and "bassels" [steam tram carriages, whether on rails or suspended from a skyline cable] but I really enjoyed the special "tink" [tinkerer/inventor] goggles!

Worldbuilding is very important to me as a reader and this novel is so vivid I could all but hear the steam whistle! Talk about full immersion!

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure from beginning to end. AND I have to mention that I was particularly snagged by the stunning book cover!

Mr. Padgett's previous works are a hard sf novel and a horror novel, plus short fiction. I'd love for him to return to steampunk, but while I'm waiting I've already downloaded his hard sf book about artificial intelligence and "escaped slave clones" which I am now looking forward to reading!
Profile Image for Bethany Swafford.
Author 13 books84 followers
October 23, 2016
Private detective Kipsey finds himself dragged into a case he wants no part of. He must fight to know who to trust as he struggles to get to the bottom of a murder and finds his world threatened.

This is an action packed, steam punk style story, which I happily pick up every now and then. Kip makes for an interesting hero for the story: moral, someone who sticks to his principles. His path to solve the mystery set before him was interesting and easy to follow.

My problem comes in the details of the story. This is definitely not a story for younger readers. While I was reading, I even thought I was a little young for the language used. Four letter words are sprinkled throughout the narrative, not frequently but enough to put me off. There is also attempted rape on the part of a secondary character, and a whole lot of blood.

For readers who don't mind language and more adult themes, this is an alternate-history tale that might appeal to them.
Profile Image for Kay.
347 reviews66 followers
August 28, 2018
Interesting take on a Steampunk America

I'm tempted to call this a cozy Steampunk mystery; a mashup of genres that turned out to be a decent story. It wasn't earthshatteringly fabulous, but it was quite enjoyable.
32 reviews
January 4, 2023
Loved it. It's hard to find a good steampunk novel. This one has just the right combination of believable characters and plot while still having a fantastic steampunk world.
Profile Image for Thax.
7 reviews
April 21, 2017
The setting is Steampunk, but the genre is more hard boiled detective. Very gritty, mean, and brutal scenes meant it took me a while to warm up to the main character, Thorogood Kipsey. Kipsey never really has any inner conflict or journey, so he's not the most interesting character, but seeing the city of Addleton Heights through his narrative is interesting and engaging. The story builds well and pacing is good. The climactic conclusion really had me on the edge of my seat to the very end.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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