Review: Quick, cute and funny.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 12, 2011
I was first introduced to Chris Dolley's work in International Kittens of Mystery and was happy to find out that more fun and frivolity were forthcoming in What Ho, Automaton!.  If you're a fan of wry historical fiction that isn't afraid to be silly and absurd (in a good way) then this book is a good bet.Reggie is, in a word, a goofball.  His primary concerns in life are avoiding the yoke of holy wedlock and trying to solve mysteries, which he considers himself uniquely qualified to do because of his enjoyment of Sherlock Holmes novels.  When he discovers Reeves, a thoroughly capable, steam powered automatic valet, telling fortunes at a club he frequents, he figures it's a good match.It totally is- without Reeves, Reggie would know his you-know-what from a hole in the ground, and even with Reeves thoroughly managing things behind the scenes, Reggie manages to make a muddle out of just about anything, even without trying.  He fixates on an idea and simply cannot let go of it, much to the amusement of the reader and the chagrin of the rest of the characters.There's a lot going on in this story- missing debutantes, secrets and lies, intrigue, pork products, you name it.  It's a story that strives to make people laugh, especially those who are fond of Victorian detective novels or mysteries in general.  It doesn't try to save the world and overhaul the characters from the beginning to the end, and I appreciated that- sometimes it's nice to just have a good joke and leave it at that.  This is a novella, as well, so it's the perfect thing for a short reading break. Plus, with a price tag of $2.99, what's not to love?