In the third and final entry in the Thomas and Emily De Quincey series, the De Quinceys investigate a truly unprecedented murder.
Thomas De Quincey is beginning to control his opium addiction when the excitement of his current case threatens to unravel his grip on reality once and for all. Rushing home to prevent the destruction of a priceless collection of rare books, the De Quinceys become unwitting witnesses to a truly historic murder along England's newly constructed public rail line.
The railroad system served as an agent of change in the De Quinceys' time, transforming the English countryside, revolutionizing modern industry, and as the De Quinceys discover, providing the perfect escape. Giving chase in a cat-and-mouse game unlike any that have come before, the De Quinceys uncover a dangerous secret that reaches all levels of English society and threatens the very fabric of their existence.
