Being an under-gardener with hopes is one thing. Helping a thief-taker catch a killer is quite another.

Every day, Meg Valentine toils away in the magistrate's garden, dreaming of how she can escape the drudgery and poverty of her life. Then, a thief steals her mistress's most valuable possessions, including some letters she'd rather the world, especially her husband, don't know about.

When thief-taker Edwin Hare offers Meg the chance to assist in his investigation of the theft, she eagerly joins him, hoping to learn the trade of thief-taking and improve her fortunes. But the case takes a dark turn when the man they're tracking is found murdered.

As Meg helps uncover a trail of blackmail and hidden motives, she begins to question the trustworthiness of those around her, including her mentor. Determined to find the truth, Meg must navigate tangled relationships, dangerous secrets, and her own ambitions, to uncover the killer and secure her future.

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