Every disaster has a story, none more thrilling than this one. Set during the great San Francisco earthquake and fire, this tale of political corruption, vendettas, romance, rescue, and murder is based on recently uncovered facts that will forever change our understanding of what really happened. Told by Annalisa Passarelli, a feisty young reporter, the novel paints a vivid picture of the post-Victorian city, from the gilded ballrooms of Nob Hill to the seedy bars of the Barbary Coast; from the slave ships in the bay to the front row seats of Enrico Caruso's sold out performance. At its center is an ongoing battle, fought even as the city burns, that pits incompetent and unscrupulous politicians against a coalition of honest police officers, newspaper editors, citizens, and a lone federal prosecutor.