The 13th Valve When the old city exhales, the streets whisper secrets. In the fog-wrapped lanes of Victorian London, a reclusive clockmaker is found dead—his final creation, a gleaming brass valve, stolen from his workshop. Inspector Rupert Ashcroft, a man with one foot in Scotland Yard and the other in the city’s underbelly, is drawn into a mystery where time itself feels bent. As he follows a trail through gaslit alleys, underground steam tunnels, and the opulent drawing rooms of those who think themselves untouchable, Ashcroft finds every answer only unlocks another question. What was the purpose of the 13th valve? And why would someone kill to possess it? In a world ticking toward chaos, the inspector must confront old debts, new betrayals, and a truth that could change the balance of power forever. A darkly atmospheric blend of steampunk intrigue, murder mystery, and Victorian grit—The 13th Valve will keep you turning the pages long past the midnight chime.