The Phoenix Crown

Set in 1906 San Francisco, the narrative follows soprano Gemma Bastion and artist Saffron Everleigh, two women whose lives intersect through their connection to a wealthy, mysterious benefactor named Henry Thornton. Thornton possesses the Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic from the looted Summer Palace in Beijing. When the Great Earthquake shatters the city, the ensuing fire and chaos expose Thornton’s lethal secrets and his history of exploitation. The protagonists must navigate the ruins of the city to secure their independence and hold a murderer accountable.

Readers of historical fiction who value detailed period settings and social history will find a clear depiction of the class divides in the early twentieth-century American West. The book attracts those interested in the intersection of high art and criminal obsession. After finishing, the reader understands the logistical reality of the San Francisco disaster and the cultural tensions surrounding the displacement of Chinese antiquities. It provides a specific look at how women of that era utilized creative professions to bypass traditional domestic expectations and gain personal agency.