The Devil's Breath

The weather has been hot and dry in England for some time.  Dr. Thomas Silkstone has also noticed that things do not seem to be as they should.  He asks the gardener at Boughton Hall if he’s noticed anything.  Amos Kidd says that the butterflies and bees seem to be missing from the garden.  He also mentions to Silkstone that a mysterious cloud had covered the land to the north somewhere and people were choking and coughing because of it.  It was apparently known as the devil’s breath.

At the same time, Lady Lydia Farrell of Boughton Hall has enlisted the help of Silkstone to find her son, who was born out of wedlock.  Lydia’s deceased husband had placed the child with a wet nurse, but after payments for his upkeep stopped, she placed him in a workhouse.  At the workhouse they find out that someone else may have the boy.

Returning to Boughton Hall, they find it enclosed in a toxic fog, which makes it hard to breathe.  There are strange greyish snowflakes on the ground and the temperature has dropped.  After doing some tests on the material in the fog, he confirms his fear that it is acid rain.  It begins to take the lives of those caught out in it.

Lady Thornton asks Silkstone to attend her.  He goes, assuming that she also has been caught out in the fog.  Unfortunately, she forces him into a compromising situation.

Afterwards Lydia’s search for her son takes her to London.  Every place they go they seem to behind someone else who is also searching for her son.

Author Tessa Harris’ novel includes a phenomenon, which was the result of a volcanic eruption in Iceland, which works well with the machinations of the rich and powerful.  We are shown the underbelly of London at the time, contrasted with the benefits of being wealthy.  A thoroughly enjoyable read, and hard to put down.