** spoiler alert ** 
 I read this on the back of Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books - full of witty banter, ridiculous hats and very little angst. The Iron Duke might also be Victorian era steampunk but that is about where the similarity ends. Brook's England is a pretty bleak place, recovering from years of oppression by "the Horde" who secretly infected the population with nanotechnology hidden inside imported foods. With the aid of radio towers they were able to gain control of the masses - "freezing" them at the touch of switch, inducing "frenzies" (sexual orgies to increase the working population)and controlling emotions. Human/automaton half-caste beings roam the streets, armoured giant sharks lurk in the oceans, and zombies wander over half of Europe - this complex and fascinating universe is sinister and dark, with themes of racism and oppression woven throughout the book. The main character, Mina, is a young woman, the product of rape by the Horde during a frenzy. She struggles as a woman in a man's world working as a detective inspector, and because her outward appearance is that of the oppressors, she is also vilified by the public, requiring a personal bodyguard to keep her safe on the streets. She is strong and determined and I loved her selflessness and sense of duty and honour. During an investigation she meets the Iron Duke - local hero and enigma. A love story plot soon develops - though at times I felt it was a little forced. There is a good smattering of sexy times - though those too felt overly violent and forced (the author uses words like annihilate, devastating blow and he seems to always being ramming or threatening to break her tiny frame in half with his hugeness). There is also one scene that may be disturbing to people with sexual assault triggers. I would have liked more of a spark between Rhys and Mina - "he wants her no matter what" but at times he came across as just a brute who is used to getting what he wants, and while Mina (for good reasons) tries to deny her feelings, she eventually relents, which again felt more about him getting his needs met than her actually loving or being attracted to him. Despite those minor grumbles this was well worth the read and has just made me want to find more and more steampunk to read.