Etiquette and Espionage

Sophronia is horrified when her mother decides to send her to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, but she soon realises it's not quite the sort of 'finishing school' her mother had expected. Whilst the finer points of dance, dress and etiquette are all part of the curriculm, the school also trains young ladies in a quite different kind of 'finishing' - the arts of espionage, death and diversion. Arriving at their new school to discover it is located in a flying dirigible, and that werewolves and vampires will be amongst their teachers, Sophonia and her new-found friends realise they are in for a very eventful first term...

This Victorian steampunk take on the classic school story is full of delightful details, from mechanical butlers and flying highwaymen (or 'flywaymen') to Sophronia's adorable steam-powered sausage dog, Bumbersnoot. With strong girl characters, plenty of humorous moments and an entertaining plot, this is a light, frothy and fun adventure that will charm fans of historical fiction and fantasy.