Lady Guinevere Nowlton, known as Gwinnie, possesses a talent for the violin and a heart dedicated to helping women from the stews of London. Though the daughter of a duke, at eight-and-twenty, she considers herself on the shelf. She doesn't think any man in society wants a large-boned woman for a wife who stands eye-to-eye, if not taller than her husband! She long ago tucked away dreams of love as she focused on concerts and her charity work at Mrs. Southerlands House for Unfortunate Women.

Concealing her noble heritage behind the name Sarah Knolls, Gwinnie enjoys the freedom to cross class lines and befriend many people, including Mr. Lewis Martin, a Bow Street agent.

But when she stumbles upon the lifeless body of Mrs. Southerland, the lines between her worlds blur. Who would want to harm Mrs. Southerland?

Gwinnie and Mr. Martin delve into Mrs. Southerlands life to uncover the motive behind her murder. The mystery draws them into a web of secrets and intrigue. As they race to unravel the murder, an undeniable attraction blossoms between them, and though they fight against it, their desires become near impossible to ignore.

Can a dukes daughter and a Bow Street agent defy societys constraints and find a way to happiness amidst the shadow of a murder investigation?