First published 2012
Katharine Tulman arrives at her uncle's estate with a clear mission. Family rumors claim he wastes their fortune, and she must have him declared insane to protect her inheritance. She expects to find a madman. Instead, she discovers a brilliant inventor who has rescued nine hundred people from London's brutal workhouses and given them new lives in his village. Her uncle operates by his own logic, creating mechanical wonders while caring for those society abandoned. Katharine faces an impossible choice. She can secure her financial future by destroying this community, or she can protect the village and lose everything. A charming apprentice complicates her feelings, while a mysterious student harbors dangerous secrets. As Katharine digs deeper into the estate's mysteries, she questions her own sanity. The stakes grow beyond personal survival when she realizes her decisions could reshape England itself. Katharine must decide what matters more: her security or the lives of those who depend on her uncle's protection.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, mystery, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: England, London
Period: 19th-Century
341 pages · Kindle Edition · Scholastic Press