The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, Londons most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a churchhis face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to earand Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.An artist in her own right, Charlotte Sloane has secretly slipped into the persona of her late husband, using his nom de plume A.J. Quill. When Wrexford discovers her true identity, she fears it will be her undoing. But he has a proposaluse her sources to unveil the clergymans clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices, and unmask the real murderer. Soon Lord Wrexford and the mysterious Mrs. Sloane plunge into a dangerous shadow world hidden among Londons intellectual enclaves to trap a cunning adversarybefore they fall victim to the next experiment in villainy . . .