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Keith W. Dickinson
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Dexter & Sinister: Detecting Agents (A STEAMPUNK MURDER MYSTERY) (The Hammersmyth Tales Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Keith W. Dickinson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

John Sinister is not having a good week.

Hired to look into some shady goings on at the airship factory, his investigation has barely begun before people start dying. Soon he's on the wrong side of some fairly unpleasant people, and that's before he meets Dexter, the world's only walking, talking, mechanical cat. That's when things get complicated.

With secret societies, arrogant aristocrats, and criminal chocolatiers to contend with, John and Dexter will have to keep their wits about them if they're going to come out of this alive. And if John happens to fall in love with his employer's daughter along the way, well nobody said catching a killer was going to be easy now did they?

“An addictive mix of crime and steampunk”

SFF WORLD

“If you are a steampunk fan... this is the book for you”

MADELEINE HOLLY-ROSING, Creator, Boston Metaphysical Society

“A fun adventure story”

NEVER WAS MAGAZINE

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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Hammersmyth Tales
  2. Print length
    321 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 8, 2022
  6. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  7. File size
    2.4 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"With an addictive mix of crime and steampunk, Keith W Dickinson's debut novel gives the tonic needed to offset the plague-anxiety ridden world we're having to deal with. ---
Unlike many steampunk-based novels, this is about the characters, not industrialisation, top hats and corsets. Fear not, steampunk aficionados, there are more devices than you can aim a blunderbuss at ...and yes, there are airships." Shellie Horst, SFFWorld.com

From the Back Cover

JOHN SINISTER IS NOT HAVING A GOOD WEEK.Hired to look into shady goings on at the airship factory, his investigation has barely begun before people start dying. Soon he's on the wrong side of some fairly unpleasant people, and that's when he meets Dexter, the world's only walking, talking, mechanical cat. That's when things get complicated.With secret societies, arrogant aristocrats, and criminal chocolatiers to contend with, John and Dexter will have to keep their wits about them if they're going to come out of this alive. And if John happens to fall in love with his employer's daughter along the way, well nobody said catching a killer was going to be easy now did they?DEXTER & SINISTER: DETECTING AGENTS is an easy read full of intrigue and humour, a steampunk murder mystery that will entertain both seasoned steamheads and those new to the genre alike.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09RBC34N8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hammersmyth Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 8, 2022
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838150334
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The Hammersmyth Tales
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Keith W. Dickinson

Keith W. Dickinson

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Hello there, and welcome. So glad you could stop by.

If you like your crime cosy, your airships antiquated, and your talking cats with a dash of sarcasm, you've come to the right place.

I am a writer of steampunk, fantasy, crime, plus whatever else takes my fancy. I don't do serious, there's enough serious in the world, but I do do important (and no, I'm not above laughing at the phrase "do do" either). Let me put it this way, if you're a Terry Pratchett fan we're going to get along swimmingly.

Click on the yellow +Follow button above to ensure you don't miss out on any new releases or special offers. And if you want to connect with me directly you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram - @keithwdickinson - where I chat and post photos about all sorts of things; most of which is to do with writing, and only some of which is to do with tea and biscuits.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
68 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the crime story in this book, with one describing it as a rag-tag tale of adventure. Moreover, the main characters are likeable, and customers appreciate the writing quality, with one noting it is well-drawn.

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4 customers mention "Crime story"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the crime story in the book, describing it as a great detective tale with a steampunk twist, and one customer notes that the whodunnit was engrossing.

"...I'm not exactly a steampunk fan, but I do love Brit detective stories and also sci-fi, so this worked for me. I hope there's a long series of these!" Read more

"...Hope she is in the series going forward. The crime in question was simple, at first, THEN everything started to ramp up...." Read more

"The premises got me interested, the story drew me in...." Read more

"...Very well written, concisely thought out. Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, crime stories, Victorian era, and talking cats...." Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding the main characters likeable, with one customer noting how the inventions impact the plot.

"...The characters are fun, the setting is interesting, and the mystery gets mysteriouser as the bodies pile up." Read more

"...The main characters are likeable and well-drawn...." Read more

"...with the commonality of the time period and how the inventions help or hurt our characters. Highly recommended!" Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well-drawn and delightfully witty, with one customer noting it is thoroughly enjoyable to read.

"This is a well-written novel about a man seeking money -- and answers I guess -- in a Steampunk England...." Read more

"...The main characters are likeable and well-drawn...." Read more

"...Very well written, concisely thought out. Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, crime stories, Victorian era, and talking cats...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • D. McDowell
    5.0 out of 5 stars The cat can talk, but that's not the mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a well-written novel about a man seeking money -- and answers I guess -- in a Steampunk England. The characters are fun, the setting is interesting, and the mystery gets mysteriouser as the bodies pile up.
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  • mush m.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A thoroughly enjoyable read!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A great little detective story with a steampunk twist: the sidekick is a sentient cat-shaped steam engine who talks!

    Dialog is great, scenery is great, and the whodunnit was engrossing. Although, unusually for me, I did figure out who the baddie was early on. The main characters are likeable and well-drawn.

    I'm not exactly a steampunk fan, but I do love Brit detective stories and also sci-fi, so this worked for me. I hope there's a long series of these!
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  • QueenPinky
    4.0 out of 5 stars Steampunk with a side of Crime!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    My first reading of a steampunk book was eventful! Keith Dickinson crafts a vivid world with strong characters.

    I am a huge fan of crime fiction so this mystery was a perfect way for me to segue into a new setting. Dexter and Sinister is an unlikely partner story that has a strong sense of setting and a large, but manageable, cast of characters. Dexter, a smart aleck, robot cat, and Sinister, a less than accomplished gentleman with full potential are paired up, mostly against their will.

    Despite how excellent the main characters were written, my favorite character had a smaller part: Agnes Goodenough. Described as six-foot-tall and built like a brick outhouse, Agnes is tough, and rough on the exterior but her motives are pure. She came through in a pinch for our main characters and she was vital to the story. Loved her! Hope she is in the series going forward.

    The crime in question was simple, at first, THEN everything started to ramp up. The list of suspects was ever-changing. What I really like about this crime and the way Dickinson writes it is that he really does take simple crimes, motives, and happenings and twist them into an interesting cacophony with the finale. I was able to figure out who the killer was at the end, my deduction skills are high, BUT there was a twist! You’ll have to read and find out.

    For a novice reader of anything featuring Steampunk, this was a good start for me. I like the idea of the technology mixing with the commonality of the time period and how the inventions help or hurt our characters.

    Highly recommended!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The premises got me interested, the story drew me in. I will be looking forward to more adventures with Dexter and John in crime, mystery, steam and marvelous inventions.
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  • Nikki Nozza
    5.0 out of 5 stars it's a book!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A fun read. Looking forward to further adventures.
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  • Benjamin Sperling
    5.0 out of 5 stars A whiskered joy!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Delightfully witty and over the top fun in Victorian England! Very well written, concisely thought out. Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, crime stories, Victorian era, and talking cats.

    A rag-tag tale of adventure!
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  • M. Holly-Rosing
    4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Read
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020
    John Sinister is a clever and rather well-educated young man who barely makes a living even though he attended an upper-crust school in Hammersymth. His luck changes when he's called upon by his very rich old school friend, Henry Chaud. Henry has just returned home from abroad and believes he's found some peculiarities in his family's business and wants John's help in figuring out what it is. And he's willing to pay. John leaps at the chance, but when Henry is found dead in a local river John discovers he's left behind a mechanical cat named Dexter who is convinced that his previous owner was murdered. Was Henry murdered? And what about all those other dead bodies that keep popping up?

    This is a delightful and well-written mystery story. Unlike many steampunk books, this one focuses on the characters, but never fear, there are enough cool gadgets to make even the most die-harder steampunker happy. Dexter, the mechanical cat, was a nice addition to the genre, but I felt his partnership with John came a bit late and then they were separated for a number of chapters which seemed odd structurally, though it was well-explained. Then there was Agnes, the bouncer. I loved Agnes and I thought she and John had a terrific partnership that was organic. John Sinister, our lead, was a hoot and fun to read.

    If you are a steampunk fan or just enjoy lighthearted mysteries, this is the book for you.

    I received this book from the author for a fair and honest review.
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  • Lori Alden Holuta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quite a Romp!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2024
    Fun True Fact: When looking at a coat of arms, the right side is the Dexter, and the left side is the Sinister. The Dexter side is considered to be more honorable than the Sinister side. Keeping that in mind, it’s no surprise that while John Sinister may be our protagonist, Dexter, a mechanical cat, steals the show at every turn.

    The action pivots on the wealthy Chard family, and the source of their fortune, Chard Mechanical, an engineering company that builds airships and dabbles in wacky inventions. As John tries to learn the factory’s secrets in order to solve the murder of the owner’s son, he gets more and more tangled up with the Chard’s circle of family and business associates.

    What brings this all to life is the author’s gleeful use of quaint, period-acceptable language, John’s gawking astonishment at new technology, and genuinely engaging and fun side characters.

    And then there’s the cat. Dexter is 90% steam-powered mechanical and 10% sarcasm. He’s smart as a whip and sarcastic to the max. But he’s also got heart (it’s probably clockwork). Don’t waste too much time wondering how Dexter works, just roll with it and enjoy his antics.

    I love steampunk. I’ve been into it for a very long time now. Many books in the genre these days have leaned away from the frippery and gadgetry to focus on romance, horror, apocalypse aftermath, supernatural.. the darker the better. That’s not a bad thing if the story is good, but for me, Dexter and Sinister was a breath of fresh (albeit sooty) air. It reminded me of that childlike joy so many of us felt the first time we saw a computer keyboard steampunked, or tried on our first pair of goggles. It’s a new-ish book that feels wonderfully old school. I enjoyed it immensely.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Pezzini
    5.0 out of 5 stars Man meets Cat, foils crime
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a little different from the books I usually read. It is a crime story, but it’s also a steampunk / urban fantasy story. It has airships, a whirlygig, mechanical horses that blow up, and a steam-driven self-regulating automaton running an experimental analytical engine, that just happens to be in the shape of a cat.

    John Sinister is the scholarship boy who’s not doing so well. Then his one real friend from school, the wealthy Henry Chard, turns up and tells him that there’s ‘trouble at mill.’ In this case, the trouble is at Chard Mechanical, just about the largest engineering firm in the Empire, and seems to be a threat to the business. The next day, Henry is dead, and John is thrust into a world of intrigues he hadn’t expected.

    Henry’s father is Donald Chard, an industrialist famed across the Britannic Empire, wealthy, powerful, and a touch strange. Paid by Donald, John starts investigating Henry’s death. With the assistance of a letter of authority from Donald Chard, and the reluctant assistance of the police, notably Detective Hardigan. Only to have the rug pulled from under his feet by Donald’s death. Then Dexter asks him to investigate, claiming John should finish the job he’s already been paid for. And so, together, that’s what they do.

    Between the covers of this book, the reader finds the strange inventions of Nomko; the memory and repercussions of John beating the Chess Club (seven games in one); Strange goings on at Caesar’s Coffee and Chocolate club; Agnes Goodenough—who is way more than good enough; and the various other characters who are all well drawn for their purpose on the page.

    It's a romp. It’s an investigation. It’s life and death, loyalty and betrayal. But mostly, it’s the story of a man who doesn’t quite fit getting used to a talking mechanical cat.

    The cat, Dexter, has almost all the best lines. Not to mention typical cat superiority and sarcasm.

    Loved it. HIghly recommend.
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  • Jojo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, clever steam punk detective work.
    Reviewed in Germany on July 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Fast paced, funny characters, get sense of place and setting. Will read more from this author.
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  • customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars not only for steam punk fans
    Reviewed in Germany on August 31, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    a mystery novel with everything you want to continue reading every minute you get
    very interesting characters and witty dialogues make it fun to submerge into this world of steam punk
    recommendable also if you are more a fan of mystery and don't mind an unusual setting
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  • Leigh Forbes
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant romp
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Laugh out loud funny. A real page-turner. Clever world-building and premise. Off to buy the next one.

    And easy 5-stars.
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  • Abigail T
    4.0 out of 5 stars Quintessentially Cosy and Delightfully Quirky!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This was a delightfully quirky and cosy read! Quickly drawing the reader in with a strong narrational presence, Dexter and Sinister reveals its unique steampunk setting and a mystery that needs solving. For a murder mystery, this is also a pretty comforting book; sure, everything feels a bit grey and smoggy, and there’s a killer on the loose, but it felt quintessentially cosy. Although there are some strong human characters in this novel, particular highlights for me were Dexter the mechanical cat and the robo-butler! The mystery itself was satisfying and complicated enough that I didn’t guess anything before the reveal.

    A really fun read into which one can escape from the world for a few days!
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