London, 1887.As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestoneof her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels inpursuit of scientific inquiry-and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies asshe is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a sharpened hatpin with equal aplomb, andwith her last connection to England now gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.But fate has other plans, as Veronica discovers when she thwarts her own abduction with the help of anenigmatic German baron with ties to her mysterious past. Promising to reveal in time what he knows of theplot against her, the baron offers her temporary sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker-a reclusive naturalhistorian as intriguing as he is bad-tempered. But before the baron can deliver on his tantalizing vow to revealthe secrets he has concealed for decades, he is found murdered. Suddenly Veronica and Stoker are forced togo on the run from an elusive assailant, wary partners in search of the villainous truth.