This epic novel begins with a mysterious girl taking a journey by train and a loving mother making a Faustian bargain with a gallant but nefarious figure. Author Richard Dowling spins an intricate mystery from a number of seemingly disparate elements: family dysfunction, clashes between social classes in nineteenth-century England, and a far-fetched scheme to create gold from a specific combination of less valuable elements and materials. Somehow, Dowling manages to pull it off, weaving a satisfying tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
