A Venetian mirror with a dark past. A woman who calls on a phone that isn't connected. A deadly race against time.
Bookseller David Spotswood's quiet life is suddenly turned upside down when he is caught up in a fantastical story that might have come from one of his own shelves.
But there's nothing imaginary about the danger as he's drawn into a battle between his mysterious caller and her ruthless father, stretching from Oxford's spires to Scotland's wild castles.
Forced to adapt to a world where magic combines with the ancient science of alchemy, David will need to overcome his doubts - and find his courage - if he wants to stay alive long enough to uncover the secret of the woman and the mirror.