The Dark Unwinding

About This Audiobook

Sharon Cameron’s *The Dark Unwinding* is a thunderstorm of a book—all hissing steam, crackling electricity, and the kind of gothic dread that makes you double-check the locks. Set in a sprawling, soot-choked Cornwall where science and superstition collide, it follows clever, stubborn Katharine Tulman as she’s thrust into the gilded cage of her reclusive uncle’s mansion. But this isn’t just any mansion; it’s a Rube Goldberg machine of Victorian eccentricity, where clocks tick backward and clockwork birds sing in key. The atmosphere is thick with the scent of oil and old secrets, and Cameron doesn’t just describe it—she immerses you, making the estate feel like a third character. The romance simmers at the edges, but the real pull is the ethical tangle of Katharine’s uncle’s work: is he a mad genius or a dangerous rogue? Either way, you’ll be glued to the gears turning in his workshop—and in the plot.

Narrator Fiona Hardingham is the secret weapon here. Her voice crackles with mischief and menace, shifting effortlessly between Katharine’s dry wit and the eerie whispers of supporting characters. She nails the steampunk lingo without overdoing the accent work, and her pacing keeps the story from collapsing under its own gothic weight. The audiobook’s production is crisp, with subtle sound design that makes the mechanical noises feel tactile—without ever feeling gimmicky. If you’ve ever wanted to eavesdrop on a Victorian inventor’s diabolical musings, this is your ticket.