1836 in lush and historical Savannah. It's a time when a gentleman's honor still often meant much more to a man than his own life; honor upheld by dueling with deadly weapons. A fraud of massive proportions has been committed on the city's wealthiest citizens. Jesse Caine's father is accused of the swindle, leaving Jesse shunned and isolated. He seeks the help of Elizabeth Pendleton, a Boston abolitionist and expert in the unknown science of forensic handwriting analysis. Confronting a deadly opponent and facing betrayals by those closest to him, Jesse and Lizzie must overcome threats to their lives and uncover the perpetrator of a crime turned deadly.