Publisher's Synopsis
One chessboard.
Two pawns.
Three stories.
Four untimely deaths.
A deadly legacy weaves through generations in this haunting, multi-layered historical mystery.
Luc has always treasured her mother's pendant-an antique chess piece steeped in shadow and rumour. But when a series of disturbing discoveries forces her to question its origins, Luc embarks on a dangerous quest to uncover the secrets it holds. Why was it given to her, and what tragic history lies buried within its past?
In 1818, Florence Blanchard, a young woodcarver living under the tyrannical rule of her abusive father, crafts a chess set that will shape destinies. She fights for survival, never imagining her creation will bind strangers together-and destroy them.
In 1917, Edmund Cruso leaves a white pawn with his mother and a red pawn with his sweetheart as he heads to the battle-scarred trenches of the First World War. Decades later, the long-forgotten pawns resurface, carrying whispers of betrayal, heartbreak, and murder.
As Luc unravels the tangled threads of these lives, she draws closer to a truth far darker than she ever imagined. Someone still watches. Someone still remembers. With the elusive Maurice Smith holding the final, damning clues, Luc must piece together a deadly puzzle before history repeats itself.
Perfect for readers of Kate Morton, Laura Purcell, and Stacey Halls, this atmospheric tale of secrets, survival, and the sinister weight of the past will keep you guessing until the final move
