Madeline Donovan is on the journey of her life, one to escape a devastating event that happened almost one year before. Her decision to travel to London aboard the SS City of New York will be more eventful than she could ever have anticipated. When the journey has barely begun, news comes aboard the ship about the infamous Jack the Ripper, and the details of his first murder committed in the streets of Whitechapel, London.
While on board, she will meet the reporter from the New York Times, handsome Jonathan Franks, who has been sent to cover the story. She will also encounter a group of endearing older women, two of whom have a niece, who they believe might be in danger, as she has been known to make her living in the deadly confines of Whitechapel.
They enlist her help in seeking out the whereabouts of their beloved girl. Intrigued by the idea of ferreting out clues and possibly saving their niece from harm, she accepts and therein will begin her evolution in becoming a female sleuth. A dashing solicitor, Hugh Scott, will also come to her aid, and become a faithful companion. Her predisposition to Absinthe to calm her nerves will lead her into more serious addictions and a life in Whitechapel that will change her life forever.