The slender and delicate Jess Whitby was cold, wet, and scared waiting in the dark and dank slum lane in London with only a hired thug nearby. But, she was determined to find a way to save her father and if she could just quickly steal the key from the drunk Sebastian Kennett, her sworn enemy, she would be on her way in a flash.

But, things didn't turn out that way. The drunken sea captain was a trained British intelligence leader who seldom let down his guard completely and his companion, Adrian, was always at the ready. Then, when a gang of Irish thugs emerged like a pack of starving wolves out of the dark fog, things really got out of hand.

The light of morning and new knowledge gained highlighted that things were not as they seemed. For the handsome dark- haired Sebastian, the little five-shilling whore he thought he had rescued turned out to be none other than the heiress to the Whitby fortunes. For Jess, the memory loss she suffered from being whacked on the head didn't stop her from figuring out she was in the home of the man who sent her father to prison and who also might be the mysterious Cinq whose identify she desperately needed to discover.

Spies and young thieves don't share their hearts and trust easily and there was a complex and deadly maze of intrigue to make sense of, before any tender leaves of love could unfold. But, would there be time? If the real Cinq, the sleazy seller of British secrets to Napoleon and the killer of many innocent men, could not be unmasked, Jess would lose her father to the hangman's noose. Jess was as sharp as the best accountant at figuring out costs and she determined the only way was to slip back into her old ways and haunts. But, things had changed. She wasn't as safe there now she was no longer under the protection of the criminal Lazarus and there were many dangerous men itching to kill and torture the one who got away.

Awesome as a word pales in describing the brilliance of this incredible story so marvelously crafted by Joanna Bourne! The plot is strong and fast paced while the characters are as psychologically complex and likeable as they come! This is truly a great read and one of the best books I had the pleasure of discovering this year. It is far more than the best historical/suspense/romance book as every aspect is so perfectly involved and makes for a rewarding read. While hating to come to the end of this fascinating story, I truly couldn't put it down without wanting to pick it up again. Trust me, you too will be reading it late into the early morning hours and just wanting to read on and on. There is nothing not to like and enjoy in this book! Read it and then beg the author for more! Enjoy this gem!