The eighteenth-century musician and amateur sleuth witnesses a murder in the streets of Newcastle in this “clever mystery full of interesting characters” (Kirkus Reviews).
 
Newcastle upon Tyne, 1736. Newly married to a lady of means, musician Charles Patterson is learning to juggle his devotion to his craft with his responsibilities as a gentleman. Meanwhile, Richard Nightingale, a ladder dancer from London, is causing a stir with his flashy performances and flirtatious demeanor. But soon Charles has another complication in his life, as he once again must investigate a murder.
 
When a child is run down and killed by an unknown horseman, Charles is the only witness close enough to see that the collision was no accident. With the help of his young protégé Kate, Charles vows to hunt down the rider. But when Nightingale is attacked next, Charles realizes the situation is far more complicated than he first realized.