For Newport, Rhode Island€s high society, the summer of 1896 brings lawn parties, sailboat races€¦and murder.
Having turned down the proposal of Derrick Andrews, Emma Cross has no imminent plans for matrimony€"let alone motherhood. But when she discovers an infant left on her doorstep, she naturally takes the child into her care. Using her influence as a cousin to the Vanderbilts and a society page reporter for the Newport Observer, Emma launches a discreet search for the baby€s mother.
One of her first stops is a lawn party at Mrs. Caroline Astor€s Beechwood estate. But an idyllic summer€s day is soon clouded by tragedy. During a sailboat race, textile magnate Virgil Monroe falls overboard. There are prompt accusations of foul play€"and even Derrick Andrews falls under suspicion. Deepening the intrigue, a telltale slip of lace may link the abandoned child to the drowned man. But as Emma navigates dark undercurrents of scandalous indiscretions and violent passions, she€ll need to watch her step to ensure that no one lowers the boom on her€¦
