A year and a half ago, River St. Clair would never have guessed that she’d come to appreciate, even prefer, the unpolished Victorian-era Chicago over the same gleaming metropolis three centuries into the future. But there is something extraordinary about watching a phoenix rise from the ashes before your eyes. And she can relate. She has carved a place for herself in this strange world too, a … world too, a man’s world; never mind that she has had to disguise herself as one. Now, a solid sense of purpose and new-found friendships buffer the day-to-day inanities as well as the necessary farce that is her life. Even a few ghosts, while not laid to rest, have been pacified. That’s right. River is doing fine. Or was.
Her careful construction begins to crumble when a very familiar face from the past reignites the womanly heart beneath her coroner’s frock coat. Just eight days might see her undone. The week of their father’s birthday is shrouded in personal drama, family intrigue, the undeniably peculiar death of Birdie Day, and several schemes—some nefarious, others potentially so.
With a cast of quirky characters, a heavy dose of intrigue, and more than a dash of romantic suspense, fans of female sleuths, steampunk, and time-travel mysteries will enjoy NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.
*Content warning: Adult language and violence
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When your Past lies in your Future, Every Moment is a Mystery
A young medical examiner arrived in 1870’s Chicago with secrets. Arrival was not so much from where. Rather from when. And the future holds the real key to his past. Or is it ‘her’ past?
Ellison Blackburn spins a whirlwind of a tale featuring Time Travel, The Great Chicago Fire and a host of characters who are not what they seem. This second installment in the Windy City Files adds more pieces to the time puzzle of a group of involuntary travelers.
River St. Clair masquerades as a man who died in the Chicago Fire more than a year ago. Her brother. In a society where women are diminished, she works as a medical examiner. Piecing together mysterious deaths. But these aren’t the only mysteries in her life. The Past, Present and Future collide as others threaten to unravel her secrets. Will they help or harm? Time will tell.
No Time Like The Present is Book 2 in The Windy City Files series. This is my first experience reading an Ellison Blackburn book. This storyline is expertly developed and the character development is extremely well done. Ellison’s excellent use of prose places you in the story with the characters. River, our MFC, is having a difficult time continuing her posing as a man, especially in her investigation of the missing babies. Will River and her brothers and friends find out who is doing this and why? As River’s brother is close to finding a way back to the future (2157), will River want to leave 1873 Chicago for the very dehumanizing 2157? If you want a fast paced, intriguing, steampunk with twists and turns, some romance page turning read then I highly recommend this book. Even though this can be read as a stand alone, it will make this series more relatable to read the first book and I now plan to read Book 1 – An Untimely Ending — to be fully updated for Book 3. Received an ARC and this is my voluntary and honest review.
This is Ellison Blackburns’ second book in this series and I enjoyed this one even more than the first. I really enjoyed the dialogue in this book it was interesting, snarky at times and enjoyable. It held my interest all the through. There is good depth of character in each individual. I love the setting in Chicago again her detail in description is very good. A wonderful combination of betrayal, mystery and intrigue continues in No Time Like The Present. If you haven’t started the series pick it up, even if you are new to the time travel genre it’s fits perfect with mystery.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well worth the wait!
September 26, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
River St Claire makes a very welcome return in this, the second of a series. I have been eagerly awaiting this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The characters
are strong and believable personalities. With her skilful handling of the descriptions and well researched timeslip details the author creates a totally authentic setting both in the future and the past. With more than one plot deftly intertwined this is a book which is hard to put down. Highly recommended for all historical as well as steam punk fans, it also has something to offer those who enjoy a bit of romance in the mix.
Read as a free ARC but this review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
I loved this novel! Book 2 of “The Windy City Files fleshed out some of the details that were imparted in book 1, “An Untimely End”. The reader gets a firmer grasp on River’s life—-what happened to her when she was initially transported to 19th Century Chicago from the year 2157. She went through a terrible experience in between the time after the house fire and when she found her brothers.
“No Time Like the Present” is a wonderful, multi-layered novel. The characters are complex and empathetic. Ms. Blackburn created a realistic Victorian age. I felt like I was present with the characters. The contrast between life in 1873 Chicago and the year 2157 was startling and mind-bending. Were I in the same situation as River, I too would choose the past to reside in, rather the dehumanizing future from whence she came.
Her former paramour Vale Hennessy returns to Chicago in the person of Henry Flynn Ennis, an alienist. I got the feeling that, although River once loved Vale, she no longer loves him. Believed to be a traitor as a result of his actions in 2157, it turned out he was actually working for Clarion to trap Seely Roth in his espionage scheme. Nevertheless, River has lost her loving feeling for Vale.
It appeared that Allen was getting closer to discovering how to return to their own time, but is seems like River has mixed feelings about this.
The main plot is the disappearance of babies. The suspect is a doctor named Constantine Vargas. Her brothers Archer and Quinn, along with Vale and a few new friends help solve the mystery of the missing newborns. River St. Clair is still assuming a male identity as Reid St. Clair and working as Chicago’s medical examiner. Despite the inconvenience of assuming a male identity, she seems to be happier to live in a less complicated and more humane age.
I enjoyed this novel so much, and am looking forward to book 3 in the series.
For those readers who enjoy steampunk, mystery, time travel and suspense, this novel is definitely worth the read.
I received an ARC of this novel from the author with my agreement I would write an honest review. These opinions are my own with no outside influence.
Likeable characters and easy to follow.Really enjoyed this book.. can’t wait to read the series. Good plot twists and turns. Some heart breaking incidents with in the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in the Windy City Files series, and equally as good. Reading the books in order might make more sense but there’s a lot of backstory in this one so that you won’t feel clueless. The writing style is easier to read also. The descriptions made me feel like I was there but without the awful stench. The story line weaves the mystery of the missing baby with River’s own mystery of how the family got there and will they be able to get back to the future. I look forward to the next one.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.