Description
Book SynopsisThe 18th-century meets the sharp blade of forensic science...
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village...
Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation.
Soon he discovers
Trade Review
A densely plotted yarn about a crafty 18th-century poisoner wreaking havoc on the Oxfordshire estate of a noble family . . . we await - indeed, demand - the sequel * New York Times *
The author will have you flipping the pages at each unexpected turn in the plot. The novel is an absorbing read with a shocking twist at the end * Historical Novel Society *
Harris has more than a few tricks up her sleeve, and even veteran armchair puzzle solvers are likely to be surprised * Publishers Weekly *
