In 18th century London, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. A lot of knowledge is deadly.
'A debut novel of great imagination and originality' - The Sunday Times
'Thrilling and intoxicating - a dazzling debut' - Evie Woods - author of The Lost Bookshop
'A captivating story, weaving together so many emotions with such beautiful descriptions that you feel you really are standing by the shoulders of the characters' - Philip Paris - author of The Last Witch of Scotland
More than anything young alchemist Peter Woulfe wants to turn lead into gold. Until he meets the elusive and alluring Sukie one hot summer night and his life changes forever. Streetwise Sukie wants to sell a mysterious stolen book to her favourite pawnbroker Nico, until she meets his beautiful wife Katia.
A gang of dangerous men pursue the missing book through the grimy underworld of 18th century London - and Katia realises the one thing she really wants is about to disappear forever.
Everyone is burning for something ... even you.
Could an encounter with a book change your life? Could this one?
A riveting story of love and transformation that takes us back and forth through time from the raging furnaces of an alchemist's lab in Georgian London to the mists and magic of a remote Irish mountain.
