<P><B>A debut novel from an exciting new voice in historical romance set in bustling, malodorous Restoration London at the time of the plague, just before the Great Fire of 1666—perfect for readers of Phillipa Gregory, Georgette Heyer, and Joanne Harris</B></P><P>1665. Susannah Leyton has grown up behind the counter of her father's apothecary shop in bustling Fleet Street. A skilled student—the resinous scents of lavender, rosemary, licorice, and turpentine run in her blood—her father has granted her the freedom to pursue her considerable talents. But Susannah is dealt a shocking blow when her widowed father marries again, and her new stepmother seems determined to remove her from the apothecary shop for good. A proposal of marriage from the charming Henry Savage seems to offer Susannah an escape. But as the plague sweeps through London, tragedy strikes, and dark secrets in her husband's past begin to unfold. It will take all of Susannah's courage and passion to save herself from tragedy.