The author of Boneshaker writes about Lizzie Borden vs Cthulhu! 
 That is how I've seen this billed, and it is true but also does not approach describing the awesomeness of this book. Priest takes the story of an accused axe murderer and expands it to a tale of family and heartache. As in her Clockwork Century books, Priest introduces a world that is familiar and yet full of horror while simultaneously ensuring that the reader is deeply invested in the characters through means almost independent of the setting. 
 Lizzie and her sister Emma struggle against the very familiar challenges that face siblings, especially those separated by a large number of years, in addition to the grisly events surrounding the death of their father and stepmother the previous year. Emma's infirmity is well written and drives both of the sisters' actions and growth in the book. The juxtaposition of their respective health, love, and scholarly interests serves both as a wedge between them and an engine to drive the plot forward to its climax. 
 The setting and eldritch mystery build on the characters to create a very satisfying book.