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The Diamond Conspiracy (A Peculiar Occurrences Novel) Mass Market Paperback – March 31, 2015

by Philippa Ballantine (Author), Tee Morris (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 426 ratings
See all formats and editions
For years, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences has enjoyed the favor of Her Majesty the Queen. But as agents Brooks and Braun soon learn in the fourth novel in the steampunk adventure series, even the oldest loyalties can turn in a moment…

Having narrowly escaped the electrifying machinations of Thomas Edison, Books and Braun are looking forward to a relaxing and possibly romantic voyage home. But when Braun’s emergency signal goes off, all thoughts of recreation vanish. Braun’s street-wise team of child informants, the Ministry Seven, is in grave peril, and Books and Braun must return to England immediately.

But when the intrepid agents finally arrive in London, the situation is even more dire than they imagined. The Ministry has been disavowed, and the Department of Imperial Inconveniences has been called in to decommission its agents in a most deadly fashion. The plan reeks of the Maestro’s dastardly scheming. Only, this time, he has a dangerous new ally—a duplicitous doctor whose pernicious poisons have infected the highest levels of society, reaching even the Queen herself...
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  1. Book 4 of 6
    Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences
  2. Print length
    368 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Ace
  5. Publication date
    March 31, 2015
  6. Dimensions
    4.17 x 0.95 x 6.73 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0425267326
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0425267325
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels

“A good bet for steampunk fans.”—Library Journal

“Full of action, explosions and deceit.”—Seattle Geekly

“Extensive worldbuilding, multi-faceted characters, fast-paced action, and an engaging plot all make for a thrilling, absorbing read.”—RT Book Reviews

“Cute and charming, interspersed with sequences of dire peril and explosive action...You don’t want to miss a delicious moment of the story.”—Kings River Life

“[A] thrilling and labyrinth detective romp laced with humor, feminine moxie, and mayhem. The prose is Dickens on steroids, yet it somehow grips the reader...A dark and twisted roller coaster of a read for those fond of elegant vernacular and bizarre weaponry.”—Fangoria

“Anyone who was a fan of the adventure in the Blades of the Rose series and the dynamic in the Sherlock Holmes movie might want to check this series out.”—Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

“This is steampunk done right, down to every last detail...Action-packed with edge-of-your-seat excitement.”—Badass Book Reviews
 
“[A] rollicking adventure series of the finest order.”—The Ranting Dragon

About the Author

Philippa (Pip) Ballantine is the author of the Book of the Order series, the Shifted World series, the Chronicles of Art series, and—with Tee Morris—the coauthor of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Her podcast of Chasing the Bard won the Sir Julius Vogel Award in 2009, and two of her novels have been short-listed for it. Originally from New Zealand, she now resides in Virginia with her husband, her daughter, and a mighty clowder of cats.

Tee Morris is the author of Morevi: The Chronicles of Rafe and Askana and the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels. In addition to his work as a fantasist, he is also a social media pioneer and the author of Podcasting for Dummies and All a Twitter.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ace (March 31, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425267326
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425267325
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.17 x 0.95 x 6.73 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 426 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Tee Morris

    Tee Morris

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    Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. Tee then released in 2004 The Case of The Singing Sword: A Billibub Baddings Mystery which was earned him honors from ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards. It was in 2005 when his idea -- podcasting a novel -- established him as a pioneer in the Social Media movement, becoming the first author to podcast a book in its entirety. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com (with Evo Terra and Chris Miller), and a collaboration with Evo in the popular title, Podcasting for Dummies (later editions featuring Chuck Tomasi). He penned other social media titles including Twitch for Dummies (Wiley Publishing), Discord for Dummies (Wiley Publishing), All a Twitter (Que Publishing) and Sams Teach Yourself Twitter in 10 Minutes (Pearson Education). Other non-fiction titles Tee has contributed to include Making YouTube Videos (Wiley Publishing), Farscape Forever: Sex, Drugs, and Killer Muppets (BenBella Books), The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy series (Dragon Moon Press), and So Say We All: Collected Thoughts and Opinions of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (BenBella Books).

    In 2011 Tee Morris returned to his first love -- fiction -- alongside his wife, Pip Ballantine, with Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel (Harper Voyager). This title went on to win the 2011 Airship Award for Best Steampunk Literature, and was a finalist (the only steampunk to make the final round in any category) for Goodread's Choice Awards under Best Science Fiction of 2011. 2012 saw the release of The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel (Harper Voyager). The sequel was also a finalist in Goodreads' Choice Awards Best Science Fiction of 2012, and went on to win Steampunk Chronicle's Readers Choice of 2012 for Best Steampunk Literature. In 2013, their companion podcast Tales from the Archives received a Parsec Award for Best Podcast Anthology. Also in that year, Tee and Pip successfully funded via Kickstarter the anthology Ministry Protocol: Thrilling Tales of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and The Ministry Initiative, a FATE-core RPG from Galileo Games. The third book Dawn's Early Light: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel (Ace Books) won RT's 2015 Best Steampunk of the Year, and the fourth in the series, The Diamond Conspiracy: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, was a Finalist for RT's 2016 Best Steampunk of the Year. The series concluded with The Ghost Rebellion and Operation: Endgame, both independently published by Tee and Pip following a second, highly successful Kickstarter campaign. Presently, Tee and Pip are working through their young adult series, Verity Fitzroy and the Ministry Seven.

    Tee can still be heard podcasting short fiction with Tales from the Archives, co-hosting Happy Hour from the Tower: A Destiny Podcast, and co-hosting alongside Pip on The Shared Desk at theshareddesk.com. Find out more about his work and his life at teemorris.com.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Philippa Ballantine

    Philippa Ballantine

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    Originally from New Zealand, Philippa Ballantine, is a horror, fantasy, and steampunk author.

    Her most recent novel, Inferno's Fall, is set in the world of Alien.

    She's won an Airship, a Parsec, an RT Book Review Readers Choice, and a Sir Julius Vogel Award, as well as appearing in the Locus Bestseller list, and been in the Goodreads Top Science Fiction books.

    She currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband, her daughter, and a mighty clowder of cats. Visit her online at pjballantine.com or follow her on Twitter @PhilippaJane.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
426 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the story and find it entertaining. They love the characters, villains, and fictional figures. The book has interesting twists and turns with plenty of action sequences. Readers appreciate the pacing and new gadgets that breathe new life into the series. The writing is well-crafted with snappy dialogue. Overall, customers describe the book as an enjoyable addition to the series.

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Story qualityCharacter developmentTwists and turnsPacingWriting qualitySteampunk
38 customers mention "Story quality"38 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story. They find it entertaining and a good addition to the series. The overall story arc is well-woven, and the ending leaves room for future books in the series. Overall, customers find the book a fun addition to their steampunk collection.

"...like me, are Steampunk fans but also for those who just enjoy a good adventure story." Read more

"...It is well worth the time to read and money spend for it...." Read more

"...The story was solid and I was nowhere near as confused as I was last time.. the time travel at the end got a bit hairy and there was a point where..." Read more

"...It's a solid, exciting steampunk story with several interesting twists and turns...." Read more

13 customers mention "Character development"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters and their development. They appreciate the historical and fictional figures, including science fiction. They also love the relationship between well-developed characters like Welly and Eliza.

"...pages of this Steampunk adventure with assorted historical and fictional figures including science fiction pioneer H.G. Wells, serial killer H.H...." Read more

"Well liked characters return to save England. The story moved along at a good pace with no slow,spots...." Read more

"...I can only hope that they dont stop putting them out. I love Welly and Eliza, they are so good together. Could see these as movies...." Read more

"...Every villain, every organization, every hero, every story line you wanted to see revealed...here they are. Or, maybe not...." Read more

13 customers mention "Twists and turns"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's twists and turns. They find the story whimsical and adventurous, with plenty of action sequences. The narrative flows smoothly from one chapter to the next, and the characters are well-developed.

"...Ballantine and Morris have provided their readers with plenty of action sequences in this novel and some very interesting new gadgets with which to..." Read more

"A well written and whimsical spy action/thriller." Read more

"...It's a solid, exciting steampunk story with several interesting twists and turns...." Read more

"I really enjoy the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's pacing good. They mention it's an interesting addition to the series with new gadgets.

"...with plenty of action sequences in this novel and some very interesting new gadgets with which to wage war against the forces trying to overthrow..." Read more

"...I had loved was "losing steam" for me but this one breathed new life into it...." Read more

"...Plus gadgets. Lots of really cool gadgets." Read more

"An interesting work, that continues the story line, but, looses the wondrous magic of the story line. Hopeful this not the last of the series...." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They say it's well-written with twists and turns, and the dialogue is snappy.

"...flows easily from one chapter to the next and the dialogue is as snappy as ever...." Read more

"A well written and whimsical spy action/thriller." Read more

"...Ms Ballantine has produced another well written novel. I can't wait for the next installment." Read more

"...The writing definitely has twists and turns, the characters continue to develop, and the alternative history/steam punk genre is very entertaining..." Read more

4 customers mention "Steampunk"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the steampunk style of the book.

"...Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and steampunk devices and forgettable setting. Looking forward next book." Read more

"Punks gonna steam, steams gonna punk...." Read more

"Classic Steampunk......" Read more

"Great steampunk..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Mike Billington author of Murder in the Rainy Season
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the saga of agents Braun and Books
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris have brought readers another installment in the adventures of Eliza Braun and Wellington Books, agents extraordinaire of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, and 'The Diamond Conspiracy' may be the best in the series to date.
    As in previous installments, Ballantine and Morris have populated the pages of this Steampunk adventure with assorted historical and fictional figures including science fiction pioneer H.G. Wells, serial killer H.H. Holmes, Dr. Henry Jekyll and Queen Victoria as well as some old friends from previous books including the beautiful assassin with the delicious name: Sophia del Morte. Their ability to blend these real and fictional characters with their own creations makes all of their books a joy to read and that is even more true in this tale of a spectacular plot to take over the British Empire.
    I won't give away too much of the novel's plot for those who have not read any of the previous Braun and Books novels, but I will say that the ministry's agents have been disavowed as part of the villains' plans to overthrow Parliament and are on the run while being hunted worldwide. This forces the few that remain alive to band together in what just might prove to be an impossible effort to derail the plans of the plotters while still keeping a weather eye out for those that are hunting them. Meanwhile, a member of Braun's 'Ministry Seven,' a gang of children that she has taken under her wing, has been captured by a mad scientist; disgraced agent Bruce Campbell is being recruited by the people hunting the agents; and Braun and Books have... well, you'll have to read the book to find out what they have discovered.
    Ballantine and Morris have provided their readers with plenty of action sequences in this novel and some very interesting new gadgets with which to wage war against the forces trying to overthrow the Empire. They have also, in 'The Diamond Conspiracy,' thrown in a dash of romance and given their readers a deeper understanding of Books by adding a little more to his back story. As always, the narrative flows easily from one chapter to the next and the dialogue is as snappy as ever.
    All in all, a great addition to the series and one that I would highly recommend not only for those who, like me, are Steampunk fans but also for those who just enjoy a good adventure story.
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  • Phil
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good clearing of the decks for another round of grand adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I have the earlier books in this series and this to be a tightly paced and tidy end to many (but not all) of the threads woven from those novels. It is well worth the time to read and money spend for it. Some small nit-picks personal to myself loped off that 5th star but I think most would be more generous. The humor was still laced thru the book and kept me from getting bogged down in the giant conspiracy delving/cover-up.
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  • Avalee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Back On Track!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    *copied from my goodreads review; mild spoilers

    Wow! I was very happy with this latest installment, especially because book 3 was a bit of a disappointment for me. I rated that one 3 stars, found it all over the place and very difficult to follow.. plus, Welly and Eliza were too separate. But this book really set things back on track and it was a thrilling, amazing ride!

    I love that Welly and Eliza take further steps in their relationship and don't try to hide it anymore. I also loved seeing the growth of the characters and how they are both rubbing off on one another. The story was solid and I was nowhere near as confused as I was last time.. the time travel at the end got a bit hairy and there was a point where they lost me with the Mars travel.. so there are still a couple things I didn't quite follow, but as a whole, the bottom line is the story MADE SENSE. We got more answers as to why the Maestro was the way he was and finally saw what the endgame was with the Queen and how all of that tied together. The ending was a shocker and though one thread of the story came to an end, another one was opened up in a big way and I can't wait to read on!

    I was so scared this series that I had loved was "losing steam" for me but this one breathed new life into it. I kept coming back for Welly and Eliza and I believe I always will, but this time, I actually care about what is happening around them concerning the Empire etc. I also loved the Seven and how this story incorporated them more. Even Bruce coming back and showing remorse, and the journey Sophia has been on... they are all growing and changing and it was great to see new things happening with them as well. Things are moving forward and as long as Eliza and Welly are together, they can accomplish anything! Great addition to the series!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Punks gonna steam, steams gonna punk.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A well written and whimsical spy action/thriller.
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  • Jim Lester
    3.0 out of 5 stars Steampunk action story
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is the fourth installment in the adventures of agents Eliza D. Braun and Wellington Books of England's Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. It's a solid, exciting steampunk story with several interesting twists and turns. The story involves a fiendish plot to restore Queen Victoria's youth and use the queen in a plan to destroy the Empire.

    I would urge anyone considering reading this book to read the previous three volumes in the series first since several characters and subplots carry over from book to book. Truth be told, I didn't think this volume was as good as the earlier ones. Much of the charming, snappy exchanges between Books and Braun are missing. Instead the authors focus on science-fiction speculation and overly long action sequences. That being said, I would still recommend The Diamond Conspiracy to fans of Book and Braun or anyone who enjoys steampunk fiction.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ed A
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good show
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Well liked characters return to save England. The story moved along at a good pace with no slow,spots. Ms Ballantine has produced another well written novel. I can't wait for the next installment.
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  • Ed Manti
    5.0 out of 5 stars 4th one read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Tried the first one in the series as I am into Steampunk. I was not expecting much. However I liked it so much that I got the next one and the next one and now on the 4th. I can only hope that they dont stop putting them out. I love Welly and Eliza, they are so good together. Could see these as movies. Victorian and Syfy together has always been a hit.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Nutty
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on July 7, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Amazing as always, I can't get enough of this series.
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  • Teresa
    4.0 out of 5 stars the queen is not amused
    Reviewed in Germany on April 14, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Nachdem bei Eliza und Wellington in Dawns Early Light fahrt in ihre "Beziehung" gekommen ist, und sie einander ihre Liebe gestanden haben, gehts in diesem Teil weiter. Auf ihrer Überfahrt von den Staaten zurück nach England genießen sie einander die Gesellschaft des jeweils anderen, ihr Glück währt jedoch nicht lange. Da von Elizas Haushälterin Alice ein Notalarm, der den Hitzkopf aus den Kolonien weltweit erreicht, anschlägt. Sofort machen Books und Braun sich auf den Weg um zu Alice und den Ministry Seven zu gelangen, gleich darauf die Hiobsbotschaft : eis der Kinder, Callum, wurde bei einem Einbruch der Sieben ins Haus eines Doktors gefangen genommenen.

    Als wäre das nicht schon genug, werden plötzlich auch überall Agenten des Ministeriums für besondere Vorkommnisse angegriffen und ermordet. Dr. Sound ruft daraufhin das Phantom Protocoll aus, und die Überlebenden Agenten kommen einer Verschwörung rund um den Maestro, die Königin und einem scheinbar normalen Doktor auf die Spur...

    Gute Fortsetzung. Mit gefällt vor allem dass Eliza und Welly endlich zueinander gefunden haben, und fahrt aufnehmen (wenn sie nicht von jemandem unterbrochen werden) Auch erfährt man mehr von der Restricted Area und über die Gründung des Ministeriums, sowie wer hinter dem Maestro steckt, und etwas mehr über Wellingtons Kindheit bzw. wie er zum "perfekten Soldaten" wurde. Mitverstrickt in die ganze Sache: das House of Usher. Einziger Nachteil ist der Cliffhanger am Ende, sonst jedoch zu empfehlen
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  • NickB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Keep getting better and better!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I read a lot of steam punk but to be honest it is to pass the time until the next Books and Braun story comes out. If you are new to these stories don't start here or you will miss out not only on some genuinely ripping yarns but also on the gradually growing relationship between two really well realised characters. Following on directly from the previous novel this almost feels like two books - one is a adventure story with our heroes fighting to survive then suddenly the book expands out into a whole new world or perhaps worlds. Without giving away any of the plot this book really opens a vast potential for future stories as one thread is completed and another opens and we learn far more about Wellington and Sound. My only slight criticism is that the end feels a little rushed with a lot of resolution taking place 'off camera'. It would have been good to have read this rather than hear it described second hand by the principle characters. Really well written, thoroughly entertaining and well worth 5 stars. Okay...so when is the next one out???!!
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  • Berlin
    3.0 out of 5 stars Naja
    Reviewed in Germany on November 2, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Kein besonders guter Schreibstil und ein recht holperiger Plot.
    Ich hab kein Problem mit "Coming of Age"-Literatur oder dem Thema Steampunk, aber die Qualität dieses Schriftstücks ist wirklich höchstens mittelmäßig. Da gibt es definitiv besser geschriebene Bücher.
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  • Sisalka
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another fun steampunk romp, well written and entertaining - happy days!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Can't help it but I love them. Every new instalment is as much fun as the last one and thanks to the great writing it just flows. I would definitely recommend to start with the first book, rather than jumping into the middle of the series. It's just more fun if you get to know the characters bit by bit. I also like the way the relationship between the two protagonists changes and I am curious where it is going to go.
    The ideas are playful, outrageous, fun, well executed, laugh out loud, full of suspense and there is always some little bit of an unexpected twist here and there to keep you guessing.

    I will certainly buy the next one and if you like steampunk (or even just a well written book) I would recommend you do too ;)
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