Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Případ alchymistovy dcery | 2017 | Theodora Goss | N/A |
| 2 | The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter | 2017 | Theodora Goss | Buy |
| 3 | European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman | 2018 | Theodora Goss | Buy |
| 4 | The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl | 2019 | Theodora Goss | Buy |
The Athena Club begins with Mary Jekyll trying to solve a murder and ends up assembling a group of women who have all been shaped, quite literally, by the experiments of their fathers. Diana Hyde, Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherine Moreau, and Justine Frankenstein are the core group, each with abilities and histories drawn from the Victorian novels that made their creators famous.
What makes the series work is the narrative frame. The books are presented as memoirs written by the characters themselves, with frequent interruptions and arguments between the narrators. It gives the whole thing a playful, self-aware quality without tipping into parody.
The three main novels cover a lot of ground geographically, moving from London to Vienna and Budapest, and the mysteries themselves are genuinely plotted rather than just vehicles for the character dynamics. Readers who enjoy Victorian pastiche alongside more literary fantasy will find both here.