The Hemlock Vow

About this book

In the smog-choked alleys of 1890s Edinburgh, thirty-five-year-old apothecary Alistair MacGowan sits in a prison cell, awaiting trial for the murder of the city's most ruthless industrial magnate. To explain his impending fate, Alistair recounts the events of the past three years, beginning with the rainy night he took in a runaway named Isobel as his medical apprentice. As Alistair mentors the brilliant but fiercely independent young woman, they forge a powerful found-family bond. However, Isobel's estranged father—the very industrialist Alistair is accused of killing—refuses to let his daughter slip from his control. Their clash ignites a bitter war exploring the darkest corners of human nature, dragging an ambitious but compromised police inspector and a desperate slum smuggler into the fray. As the timeline circles back to the present trial, a complex web of familial duty, systemic corruption, and devastating sacrifices is laid bare.

Book details

Genres:

Drama, Historical Fiction

Language:

en

Published:

2026-06-21

Content rating:

PG-13