A cryptic legacy. A cursed history. A mystery yet unsolved…

In a Victorian seafaring town, secrets whisper in the salted air, and mysteries lurk in the shadows of the past. Jo Felch, the spirited daughter of a wealthy cannery owner, takes a daring leap into the world of newspaper reporting, guided by the mentorship of local publisher Cecil Wisener. Her first assignment: covering the trial of the notorious shanghaier, Jim Turk, accused of assaulting his maid, Birdie Magness.

But as Jo delves into the dark underbelly of her town, the lines between truth and deception blur. Birdie Magness vanishes, and Cecil Wisener is found murdered. Teaming up with a Pinkerton detective hired by Birdie's sister, Jo embarks on a perilous journey to unravel the intertwined mysteries. The corrupt police chief already has his suspect – Cecil's troubled wife, Stella, haunted by the disappearance of her son, Elton. As Jo struggles to piece together the puzzle, she uncovers a haunting secret from her own past that threatens her very life.

In the present day, Olivia Crawford, grappling with her own secrets, escapes the bustle of New York to settle her late Aunt Ingrid's estate on the West Coast. Drawn into a whirlwind of challenges, from a tempting offer to sell her aunt's bookshop to threats from a local fisherman vying for Ingrid's estate, Olivia is determined to forge a new path. But before she can escape, she must fulfill her aunt's last wish – completing the story that Jo Felch couldn't bring herself to finish.

As the past and present collide, Jo and Olivia navigate the treacherous waters of their own lives, connected by a narrative that transcends time and reveals the haunting truths that lie beneath the surface. Will they unravel the mysteries that bind them, or will the secrets of the past continue to cast long shadows into the present?

A gripping historical mystery that seamlessly weaves together two timelines, unraveling a tapestry of secrets, deception, and familial ties.