Charlotte Price is a mess; perpetually tardy, chronically unfocused, and indecisive to a fault. She'd hoped that apprenticing for London's only master alchemist and private detective would help solve her problems, but her first investigation will test her limits in ways she never imagined. On the trail of a dangerous magical drug, Charlotte's mentor vanishes without a trace. Lost, overwhelmed, and inexperienced, Charlotte must use everything she's learned, and improvise the things she hasn't, to track down her tutor.
With the help of an old friend turned new flame, and a reluctant tattooed sorcerer with ties to the aristocracy, Charlotte takes on magically empowered assassins, gate-crashes a society ball, and uncovers a conspiracy that goes right to the heart of government.
Yet Charlotte's biggest challenge is her own mind. After years of being told to ignore her ADHD, her errant attention span threatens to stop the investigation in its tracks. To find her mentor and prevent disaster, she must overcome her fear of failure, trust her instincts, and learn that she has everything she needs to thrive.