The Clockwork Girl: The captivating and bestselling gothic mystery you won’t want to miss!

A novel, set in Paris of the 1700s, and centred on the craze of mechanical “toys” that replicate humans - like today’s robots. There is a darker side to the story, one of murder, poverty, extreme wealth (King Louis XV) and intrigue. All in all it is an absorbing read with twists and turns, with an ending which is not necessarily what you might expect.In a single word - refreshing and worth reading!

I enjoyed this book, the descriptions of Paris & The Palace of Versailles in particular and the way the author balanced the poverty against the wealthy. Her characters came to life in much the same way as the various automated creatures depicted in the book.

I enjoyed this book it had you guessing all the way through and I still didnt guess how it would end. I thought it had quite a novelty storyline. The heroine had her own personal demons to juggle with which involved trying to escape a desperate situation with an abusive mother who put her own daughters into prostitution as children and as well as trying to spy for the police on her new employer and remain undercovered by the rest of the staff.

I enjoyed this book, though I think there are inconsistencies in the narrative which should have been corrected during the review and editing processes - for example there is a section where the heroine is at her mother's talking to her nephew, then in the next paragraph she is somewhere completely different with other characters. BUT, there is a realism to Madelaine the heroine, and how she is manipulated into tasks/roles which she doesn't want which I suspect is closer to reality than many characters who fill similar roles in other novels.

Richly set in an historic French court, Anna Mazzola’s enjoyable mystery turns an elegant twist while exploring the dark underbelly of the king’s obsessions, where men think they have more power than the cunning women who really run the show. Lots of lovely detail about how filthy the rich really were in France at this time. Drawing on a few real tales of horror and missing children, the book is as beautifully written as it’s lavish cover.

Full of twists and turns, never quite taking you where you think. France in the 1700's, the poor are struggling to survive the daily grind, their anger just simmering beneath the surface, waiting for the moment to unleash their fury, the target is the king and his mistress and all the police and prisons and into this steps a young girl whose mother is no normal mother and a house full of strange a fabulous things and the daughter of the house who becomes a friend, but who knows things, that will bring about a riot. A great read.

Shame on Orion for putting out an ebook riddled with errors, the worst I have encountered. Very unfair on the author who has written an excellent book. Hard to believe it was proofread. An imaginative and well researched read, with an intriguing twist at the end.

This is a book chosen by the new book club I belong to so I didn't have much say in it. After reading it I am so glad I joined the club! It is a book I wouldn't have thought of reading as I had no interest in historical fiction, or in France, but I was gripped right from the beginning. It is an excellent mystery, very well researched and with characters you care about right from their introduction. I so wanted Madeleine to get even with Maman and her 'clients' and, in her turn, for Veronique to be 'saved' from following her father. I was gripped by the mystery but also horrified by the poverty and degradation portrayed. To find in the notes that Paris had been plagued by the crimes in the book (no spoilers) and read other historical facts was an education and I will be giving a very good review at the book club.

What a fun read. I appreciate the research that went into this beautifully written book. The errors did not interfere with me enjoying a magnificently crafted world. The characters were well defined and I loved the twisted plot. Anna Mazzola! Great job.

Amazing read. The work might be classified as a piece of historical fiction, but it accurately captures the position of women and children in 18th Century France. Technological progress and scientific advancement pitted against Ethics and Social Values. The plots keep one guessing till the end.

I picked Anna Mazzola's Clockwork Girl because if it's stunning cover, and the promise of a thrilling documented read. It didn't disappoint.I found myself immersed into the Paris of the XVIIIth century, in a city of riches and worst poverty, where the split between aristocracy and third state was masterfully handled.The writing of this atmospheric tale drew me in from the get go. The plot kept me enthralled and on the edge of my seat, the eerie mystery, the worrysome intrigue cleverly laced with historical and geographic references. In a house filled with strange dolls and automatons, it was a delight to follow the heroine's quest for truth.If you're in the mood for a historical thriller, I highly recommend this one. Have fun!PS: I noted several French translation mistakes, that could have been easily avoided.

This was a very good story indeed. Thriller, Versailles and Steampunk! Liked it a lot!