Tommaso Cellini, celebrated ruler of Cadenza, is dead. For
Carlo Mazzoni, an aspiring poet, it is the worst possible moment to arrive at
the city gates, his dreams of literary fame turning to disappointment and
disgrace. 

For Vittoria – known to all but a handful as the notorious ink maid
Hypatia – Tommaso’s death is overshadowed by the disappearance of her creative
spark, while Vittoria’s impulsive sister Maddelina seeks to make her own name
with a daring conspiracy.

As Cadenza descends into anarchy amid rumours of
war with its rival Venice, Carlo and the two sisters become entangled in
intrigue, murder and revolution.