An inexperienced grifter. An obsolete spaceship. And against them, the might of the Grand Fleet. Orry might just be in over her head.

Orry's father is the best conman in the quadrant, targeting the decadent ruling families of the Ascendancy, running elaborate heists with Orry and her brother Ethan before disappearing without a trace. This time should be no different.

But then Orry goes off-script and everything falls apart. Less than an hour later the Count's spoiled grandson is dead and Orry's on the run, accused of a murder she didn't commit.

Turns out, the pendant Orry stole was crafted by the Departed, the ancient civilisation who left this universe aeons ago, taking most of their secrets with them. But she's not the only one who wants it. It doesn't take ruthless space pirate Morven Dyas long to track her down, or to threaten her with her worst fear, and when she's unexpectedly rescued by loner Jurgen Mender and his ageing spaceship, the Dainty Jane, Orry knows there's only one thing left to do.

It will take all of Orry's powers of persuasion to get Mender to agree to her plan, especially when even she can see the madness of pitting an inexperienced young grifter, a space-dog long past his best and an obsolete spaceship against the Imperial Fleet, the worst of the space-pirates - and the alien Kadiran, who are getting bored with the long, uneasy truce with humankind . . .

But what other choice does she have?