The Merchant Princes, Book 1 & 2
Synopsis: Miriam knows there’s no smoke without fire. And she’s about to get burnt…
The Family Trade and The Hidden Family – The first two installments of the Merchant Princes series combined in one volume.
Miriam Beckstein is a successful reporter for a hi-tech magazine. So when she discovers a huge money-laundering scam, she thinks she’s hit the big time. But when she takes it to her editor, she’s not only fired, but receives death threats. That’s just the beginning.
To distract her furious daughter, Miriam’s adopted mother unearths mementos from her real mother, murdered when she was an infant. But these reveal a secret that will ultimately throw governments into disarray. For what Miriam thinks is a simple locket has the power to fling her into an alternate timeline. In this less-developed world, knights on horseback wield automatic weapons, and world-skipping assassins lurk on the other side of our reality. Here, her true family runs a criminal empire – and they want her back. But Miriam has other plans.
Review: I did not know anything about the author or the novels and I confess that when I received the book, I was not sure it would be for me. Why is that? The cover didn’t really attract me that much (yes I’m superficial). Yet I had a great time with this story that compiles the first and second book in the series.
Miriam’s life will change overnight when she is fired from her job with her assistant after finding a huge scoop combining a large number of important people. At the same time, her adoptive mother gives her a box with items that belonged to her biological mother. There she discovers a locket that will completely change the game! Oh yes, because the young woman discovers that the object can allow her to travel from one world to another, a very different world from hers in regard of technologies. In fact, everyone seems to live in the Victorian era, all controlled by clans, a kind of mafia that earns large amounts of money by doing business between the kingdoms. It is in this context that Miriam appears, learning that she is the daughter of an important (and murdered) woman of the clan. But this fact complicates everything because it seems that many people now want her dead. And as she tries to understand with the Roland’s help, a member of her family (and maybe more), who she is and what this world hides, she will also understand that there is more than all this. Miriam is full of revolutionary ideas and she is determined to change the laws governing the game of power and money. So we’ll go on an adventure while following this heroine to discover the secrets of the worlds.
I took great pleasure in discovering this story. The author has created a completely amazing universe! I confess that I did not expect that at all, but it was fascinating to discover what these worlds could conceal. Although we have similarities with ours, their past, their history, their advances are all different. But Miriam is determined to shake the clans, and it’s true that I was really curious to see what she would do. This young woman is amazing! She is projected in a life she does not know anything about and she will have to adapt very quickly. And even though it will be very hard to know who she can turn to and who she can trust, she will have to choose her allies to thwart all the multiple attempted murder against her. But Miriam is much smarter than it appears to be and I did not expect to find such a plan for her. Our young heroine will join forces with a few people who will help her throughout the story and that we enjoy exploring about.
The author did a great job on his story, worlds and details. It is even very difficult to know exactly what people think and their ulterior motives and it’s true that everything keeps us in suspense throughout the book. I do not want to give too much away but I can tell you that this novel is a mix of conspiracy, betrayal, murder and money. An explosive mix and I look forward to reading the sequel!
Glass
I haven’t heard about this book before, so, for starters, thank you for sharing.
Oh, I love it when the writting is done so masterfuly that it keeps you on your toes until the very end and when you can’t even guess what would happen.
Great review, Melliane!
Melliane
My pleasure. Yes I was so surprised but it’s very well done!
Jennifer Bielman @ Bad Bird Reads
Yeah, cover is putting me off too. So happy it ended up being good.
Melliane
thank you.
Sarah @ One Curvy Blogger
Whoever says they don’t judge a book by the cover is lying! The cover is what attracts our attention in the first place… And *then* we check out the synopsis to see if it’s something we’d like. I’m glad you enjoyed it even though you weren’t sure of it at first! 🙂
Melliane
yeah I can read a book only because the cover is pretty. Well in fact I do that a lot.
kindlemom1
I love that this kept you in suspense!
kimbacaffeinate
I confess I had no idea about this book and then you mentioned time travel and my eyes popped open. The cover is meh..but ooh I love the sound of the world building and characters.
Melliane
no time travel, it’s mainly world travel. They were very well done.
Joy (Joyousreads)
I love when you end up loving an undiscovered book! And while it’s not a genre that I purposely seek out, I can appreciate a well-conceived book, and one that has outstanding writing.
Thanks for sharing, Melliane!
Melliane
it’s not really a genre I enjoy but it was a nice surprise here.
Jenny @ Supernatural Snark
Conspiracy, betrayal, murder and money? Sounds like an intense read Melliane! I definitely love a book that keeps me questioning everyone’s motives throughout, I like being on edge and on guard the whole time:)
Melliane
yeah! I really enjoyed that too.
Stephanie Faris
It sounds interesting. It’s not really my type of story, but I know some readers who definitely would love it.
Tracy Terry
An explosive mix? Now, that’s what I call a good recommendation. I’m intrigued by the fact that with its clans etc it was like everyone lived in the Victorian era.
Melliane
yes it was so interesting to have so many things in one book.
Kirsty-Marie
Haha, I’m a little superficial when it comes to covers. 😉 But yay for dimension travelling, and I love ones set in the Victorian era, and sometimes they’re hit or miss with me, but I do like reading about Mafia’s (I know, weird, but there we go, haha.) Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Melliane
lol yes the mix is really interesting. so many things!
Silvia
I wouldn’t say you’re superficial, Melliane, the cover is the first thing that attract us all to a book. I’m just glad you decided to give this one a go since you ended up loving it. Sometimes the cover just doesn’t make justice to a great story, huh? Thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
Melliane
you’re right. Yeah, I’m glad I tried it!
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
I still have plans to read this one, but I’m not surprised you beat me to it 🙂 So glad to hear this was good, I’m looking forward to it. Always been curious about Stross.
Melliane
I’m trying to read them as soon as I have them. I’m curious to see what you’ll think of it.
blodeuedd
Lol *whispers, but yes it is ugly* 😉
Braine Talk Supe
I like the cover and a male author is always a good thing, they have a way of telling a tale. This is right up my alley, thanks for the head’s up!
Melliane
yes it’s always nice to have a good male author. My pleasure
Melissa (My World...in words and pages)
Oh. Now I like the sounds of these. I wasn’t sure at first seeing/hearing about it but now it sounds like something I’d enjoy. 🙂 Thank you.
Melliane
yes it was really great!
LilyElement
Glad to see you enjoyed this one, I’m superficial about book covers too
Melliane
lol I’m glad I’m not the only one
Lupdilup
I love when that happens Melliane! It use to have those expereinces a lot more ofter when I read more. I used take blid shots on $.99 cent kindle books a lot more than I do now., and I remember how good it felt when you got something good 🙂
That blurb sounds super interesting and to have your review confirmed it makes even more appealing.
Melliane
I don’t do that because too many books to read but it’s nice to be surprised sometimes when the publisher sends you a book you don’t know about.
anna (herding cats & burning soup)
LOL well I’ll join you in not being all that taken by the cover. That’s awesome that it turned out to be a good one!
Lily B
wow the world building in this one sounds very very good. How have I never heard of this o.0
Molly Mortensen
I didn’t think this was my kind of book up to the locket. (and yes I totally judge books based on their covers) The alternate world with crime lords sounds interesting, and I particularly like the sounds of this main character. I’m glad you had a pleasant surprise with this book. 🙂