A young scientist becomes involved with a mysterious band of antiquities robbers in the heady atmosphere of nineteenth-century Paris. A powerful and thrilling novel from the author of GHOSTWALK.

Paris, 1815. Napoleon has just surrendered at Waterloo and is due to begin his exile. Meanwhile, Daniel Connor, a young medical student from Edinburgh, has just arrived in Paris to study anatomy at the Jardin des Plantes - only to realise that his letters of introduction and a gift of precious coral specimens, on which his tenure depends, have been stolen by the beautiful woman with whom he shared a stagecoach. In the fervour and tumult of post revolutionary Paris, nothing is quite as it seems. In trying to recover his lost valuables, Daniel discovers that his beautiful adversary is in fact a philosopher-thief who lives in a shadowy world of outlaws and emigres. As Daniel embark on a passionate love affair with the Coral Thief, he is drawn to join her salon of thieves to execute one last breathtakingly bold robbery'

Review
Combines theories of evolution with the intrigue of an old-fashioned thriller...Clever and thought-provoking. LONDON METRO An utterly gripping, fascinating read. SUGAR Original and evocative, this thriller set in 19th-century Paris deftly weaves together history and science. DAILY TELEGRAPH Keenly researched, lovingly decorated, brimming with ideas but never short on character or charm — Boyd Tonkin INDEPENDENT This book, like the coral that Daniel was originally carrying, is a rare and fascinating specimen. TIMES It makes for an entertaining narrative as Lucienne's band of well-spoken rogues duck and dive to avoid Jagot, the head of police. GUARDIAN An original and enthralling read. BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH A riveting read SUNDAY BUSINESS POST, Ireland

Rebecca Stott is a writer and broadcaster. She writes both fiction and non-fiction, is affiliated to the Cambridge history of science department and is Professor of English Literature and Creative Writing at UEA. Her work, in radio writing, fiction and non-fiction, weaves together history, literature and the history of science. She is the author of the non-fiction book DARWIN AND THE BARNACLE and the novel GHOSTWALK.