I loved this story with twists and turns on every page that keep you guessing, but not too much detail. The heroine, Madeleine Pettigrew, has been disposed of by being thrown into a series of lunatic asylums in Cornwall, in steadily worsening circumstances. Without warning a man turns up to liberate her, with false papers and trying to bribe his way in. She finds that all that she has believed in, her husband, family, wealth, were all false, or twisted. The period is around 1790 / 1800 when the French Revolution and the reign of terror provides the threatening background to spies and subterfuge, muddying the plot even more. The author has has researched well, the character of the Cornish people and the countryside, the flowers and the industry at that time in history are so well and accurately portrayed. Madeleine finds that her marriage was real , her so called husband murdered, and a romantic handsome Frenchman turns her heart, as does a waif who she befriends, so much intrigue and who doesn't love a happy ending. I really loved this book.