jacey | Booklog 7/2023: Anne Lyle: The Dead Dragon Job

In a steampunky 1920s setting, Detective Inspector Freya Gitasdottir is determined to make her way in the police force of Alfheim, despite being a woman in a ‘man’s job’ and despite being the estranged daughter of Lord Jesper Winterglass, a member of the ruling Gentry.. When Lord Jesper kills a dragon and parades the dragon’s hoard through the streets Freya knows the valuables really belong to the original owners (pre-dragon) and starts investigating. This leads her to alleged jewel thief, Lucian Thorne. But who is Lucian really and how is he, and his less than savoury friends, involved in the dead dragon job? This draws from a number of different mythologies and melds them into a smooth whole. I’ve always enjoyed Anne Lyle’s writing and this does not disappoint. It’s complete in itself, though there’s the promise of more Winterglass and Thorne books to come.