Carlo Mazzoni arrives at Cadenza, the City of Words, intent on making his name, but instead he finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of a city in turmoil, where the looming prospect of war threatens not only to destroy Cadenza but remove it from history altogether...
Tommaso Cellini, celebrated ruler of Cadenza, is dead. For Carlo Mazzoni, an aspiring poet, it is the worst possible moment to arrive at the city gates, his dreams of literary fame turning to disappointment and disgrace.
For Vittoria - known to all but a handful as the notorious ink maid Hypatia - Tommaso's death is overshadowed by the disappearance of her creative spark, while Vittoria's impulsive sister Maddelina seeks to make her own name with a daring conspiracy.
As Cadenza descends into anarchy amid rumours of war with its rival Venice, Carlo and the two sisters become entangled in intrigue, murder and revolution.