The spider's touch

the long version

Set in the early 18th century, this tale continues the adventure of the earl-turned-masked highwayman Blue Satan and his true-hearted friend Mrs. Kean. An outlaw with a price on his head, Gideon Viscount St. Mars accepts a risky commission from James Stuart, the Pretender and aspirant to the throne of Britain, in the hopes of regaining his estates. However, upon returning to England from his exile in France, Gideon finds Mrs. Kean entangled in a nest of Jacobite spies. When one of them is murdered, Gideon must choose between his allegiance to James and his concern for Mrs. Kean before uncovering the killer. This story transports readers back to an era unrivaled in elegance, romantic adventure, and disguise.