Fleeing London, Thomas Newton reaches Paris full of hopes for a new life with Pierre Baptiste. The hopes are quickly shattered. There are unsettling rumors about Pierre's past and very real threats in the present. Arrested on false charges, thrown into a dank prison, Thomas must decide whether he can trust Pierre's help to winning back his freedom. But freedom will bring other risks, especially if it requires a return to London and all that he fled. The men from his past whom he betrayed—and who might well want revenge. His avowed enemies, the bigots that chased him across the channel. And, worst of all, everything he doesn't know about his family. To survive, he will have to play both sides of the life—as a thief taker.

BIO:

William Holden has published more than sixty short stories. His first book, A Twist of Grimm (Lethe Press), was a finalist for a 2010 Lambda Literary Award. His collection of horror stories, Words to Die By (Bold Strokes Books), received second place in the 2012 Rainbow Book Awards. Secret Societies (Bold Strokes Books), his first novel, is a finalist for the 2012 Lambda Literary Award. The Buckish Young Men of Banbury (Bold Strokes Books) was released in January 2013.