The Iron Sovereign: A Claws Series Mystery: Book 3 (Gears and Claws)

By Julian Mercer

A city on the brink. A Mayor replaced by a machine. A detective on the run.

In the smog-choked aftermath of the Opera House incident, Cogsworth is a powder keg waiting for a spark. Private Investigator Baxter Reynard-the city's sharpest fox-just wanted a quiet case. Instead, a terrified archivist hands him the key to a conspiracy that threatens the very soul of the government.

Deep within a cache of encrypted documents lies the blueprint for 'Project Regalia': a steam-powered, clockwork duplicate of Mayor Sterling. The Clockmaker isn't just pulling the strings anymore; he intends to cut them and replace the Lion of Cogsworth with a puppet of iron and brass.

Framed for a murder he didn't commit and hunted by corrupt police, Baxter is forced into the shadows. With the unexpected help of his gruff rival, Inspector Hogshead, Baxter must claw his way from the rusted sewers of Slagside to the dizzying heights of the Mayor's dirigible flagship, The Pride.

The Grand Centennial Jubilee is days away, and the switch is ready. Can a fugitive fox and a disgraced boar stop the rise of the Iron Sovereign before the city's heart is turned to steel?

The Gears & Claws series continues in this high-flying steampunk noir thriller. Perfect for fans of Blacksad and The Aeronaut's Windlass.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GMC94585
• ISBN13: 9798247379027
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 436 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1" x 6.0"