Cirrus@Austlit

'The Continent, 1864: Two bomb attacks, three deaths.

'Clues to an elaborate assassination plot are intercepted in Paris and the authorities believe the assassin’s lair lies in Soho, London. Heloise Chancey, courtesan and professional detective, must go undercover to spy upon the nest of suspects and end their murderous conspiracy.

'Meanwhile, her Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen finds herself trapped in a deadly nightmare of deceit and madness. Will she be able to escape before time runs out? Danger keeps Heloise close company as she hunts evil down to its devilish source.'  (Publication summary)

'Stoke Newington, 1863: Little Margaret Lovejoy is found brutally murdered in the outhouse of her family’s estate.

'A few days later, another victim is found on the doorstep of Eurasian courtesan and professional detective Heloise Chancey at her prestigious address. At the same time, Heloise’s mother, Amah Li Leen, must confront events from her past that threaten her present.

'In a maelstrom of murder and deceit, Heloise is caught up in a crime that reaches into the very heart of her existence.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'London courtesan or professional sleuth? London, 1863: Prositutes in Waterloo are turning up dead, their sexual organs mutilated and removed. When another girl goes missing, fears grow that the killer may have claimed their latest victim. The police are at a loss and so it falls to courtesan and professional detective, Heloise Chancey, to investigate. With the assistance of her trusty Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen, Heloise inches closer to the truth. But when Amah is implicated in the brutal plot, Heloise must reconsider who she can trust, before the killer strikes again.' (Publication summary)