A compelling historical fiction set dead center during the Black Death, starring Ginevra di Gasparo - our “witch” who has been exiled from Florence. However, circumstances bring her back to the city during the heart of the plague, and she has to rely on her own unique abilities to try to solve the mystery of the missing relics. With these relics of the saints suddenly going missing, the city is left without any protection from death running through its streets and those in charge are desperate enough to ask a convicted “witch” for help solving it.

The beginning of this book has a few flashes back to Ginevra’s childhood and her time before her exile - giving us insight into her past and the conflict within her as she returns to Florence. This story is a battle between her innate desire to help people as much as she can - and the prosecution from the Church if she does too much. We see her grow from an idealistic child and young woman, to being an adult fully aware of the dangers she is placing on herself by doing these same acts once again.

I really loved how the “magic” in this novel was handled. Set between 1320-1348, we live in a world where both religion and folk magic live side by side, and both are used together to help those who need it. The concept of these stones having unique properties that can be used by someone with the power to is such a fun one, and despite the wide variety of gemstones listed throughout this novel I never had any difficulties keeping track.

While this book has just a few hints of romance sprinkled throughout, a much larger relationship present is between Ginevra and her newest friend Lucia, who she saves from the plague. Together, they must work together to solve the mystery of who (or what) exactly is stealing these precious relics, since no one else is either alive, or brave enough, to venture out into plague ridden streets to do it themselves. I really loved the friendship between these two women, and despite having very different lives and upbringings, they quickly become close and rely on one another to help survive, and solve, the mystery.

Up until the end, I had no idea how exactly this issue was going to be resolved, and I really enjoyed the conclusion. It was a fascinating look to see how things like legends and beliefs are created in both a religious context, as well as a personal belief - and how while one or another may be manipulated in some way, neither is truly “better” than the other.

This was a fun read, and I really enjoyed the journey throughout Florence it took me on throughout it (although, that journey involved a lot of corpses). It was interesting to read a book where the majority of the population have been decimated, and getting into the heads and beliefs of those who lived during that time. The mix of mythology and belief, and genuine fear, present throughout this book made it a fascinating setting as we followed Ginevra’s investigation, and all the danger it put her in.

A huge thank you to the author and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for a digital copy of this book, as well as Goodreads for a physical copy in exchange for an honest review!