In real life, a ladybug is a small, red, spotted flying insect. In Blameless, a ladybug becomes a most lethal mechanical contraption, able to poison or subdue, and most likely to explode. Blameless continues where Changeless left us hanging. I really do like this series and I have rated this book rather high, but – I felt that there were a lot of things lacking in this instalment of the story. There were things that were done right as well.I’ll start with the things done right. First of all, the secondary characters seemed to hold the story together. I love Madame Lefoux. Madame Lefoux still carries that air of mystery and is an incredible scientist. Her attraction, and shall I say it, affection for Alexia made me really enjoy her as a character. I also enjoyed her choice of wardrobe as well. A truly original woman.Ivy, now a married woman living beneath her station in life and very happy about it, came through for Alexia in many ways. Ivy takes over Madame Lefoux's business and goes to work inventing new styles for the fashionable women of London. I found her less annoying than in the previous books and I am fully convinced that her ditzy behavior in the past books was simply an act.The long suffering Beta Professor Lyall earned my support. What an endearing character. Professor Lyall was so loyal, so well dressed, and so politically correct. The gadgetry continued to impress me. I still wish that the book or the author’s website contained pictures or schematics for some of her contraptions. What I missed in this book was the romance between Alexia and Lord Maccon. Lord Maccon is basically a blithering idiot throughout the book - pretty much 90% of the book. For me, that was way too much. I wanted to see him grovel, beg, and plead for forgiveness for his stupidity. It just wasn’t enough for me. Alexia was in mortal danger and he spent almost the entire book sloshed or acting like an idiot. Or being sloshed and an idiot at the same time. It just didn’t work for me.I did find myself drinking tea as I was reading this novel. I do enjoy the series, even though this book was not the best so far. I will most likely find myself reading the fourth book Heartless when it is available.
