With her hands full of books, Tess, Lady Golding, trips and falls. In her unladylike sprawl, Tess looks up and sees her old childhood friend, Heath. In the years since she last saw Heath, her life has altered dramatically. Gone is the biddable, lighthearted girl, transformed by harsh realities in her life. Tess wonders if he believes the gossip that flows around her. Society whispers that she drove her husband to debauchery and eventual death. Penniless and rejected by her family, Tess now works secretly spying for the Foreign Office.

Heath Bartlett, a disgraced tutor's son, used his brains and ambition to become a barrister. His priority in life is to maintain a pristine reputation and secure his future with a powerful job. Heath is well on his way to success. His mentor is the Solicitor General, a politically astute man who's grooming Heath to join him in his political career. At his intervention with a noble and respectable family, Heath courts their youngest daughter, Penelope. Gentle and sweet, Penelope will be an asset to his career, unlike the shrew he just met in the hallway.

In his quest for Penelope's hand, her family demands he investigate a Jezebel who caused their cousin's financial ruin. The Jezebel is none other than Tess. His scrutiny of Tess throws them together, inciting a passion neither wants. Their desires become secondary when Tess finds herself involved in a murder that could land her on the gallows.

Ms. Robins shines in her latest novel. It's a tale of lost dreams and reviving a tarnished heart. With its well- constructed plot, she mixes romance and murder, placing readers on an emotional rollercoaster. Warning, start reading early or you'll be up all night.