Victorian adventuress and butterfly hunter Veronica Speedwell receives an impossible tasksaving society art patron Miles Ramsforth from execution, who stands accused of the brutal murder of his mistress Artemisia. Together with her natural historian colleague Stoker, Veronica races against time to find the true murderera ruthless villain who not only took Artemisia's life in cold blood but is happy to see Ramsforth hang for the crime.

Deanna Raybourn is the author of the award-winning New York Times bestselling Lady Julia Grey series and several standalone novels. The Lady Julia series has been nominated for five RITA Awards, an Agatha Award, and numerous Dilys Wynn, Last Laugh, Daphne du Maurier, and Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Awards. Deanna lives in Virginia with her husband and daughter.