When I, cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey, return to London in 1816 from the Napoleonic Wars, I am exhausted and fighting melancholia, my army career ended.
My interest is piqued, however, when I learn of a man’s missing daughter, possibly kidnapped by a prominent member of Parliament. My search for her uncovers murder and corruption beneath glittering Mayfair society, and to dealings with a leader of the underworld.
I also must deal with my disorientation transitioning from a soldier’s life to the civilian world, redefining my role with my former commanding officer and making new friends, from the top of society to the street girls of Covent Garden.