The Chemistry of Tears

Catherine Gehrig. conservator at the Swinburne museum. learns of the unexpected death of her colleague and lover of thirteen years. As the mistress of a married man she has to grieve in private. One other person knows their secret. the director of the museum. who arranges for Catherine to be given a special project away from prying eyes. Mad with grief. the usually controlled and rational Catherine discovers a series of handwritten notebooks telling the story of the man who originally commissioned the extraordinary and eerie automata she has been asked to bring back to life. With a precocious new assistant. Amanda. at her side. she starts to piece together both the clockwork puzzle and the story of the mechanical creature which was commissioned in 19th century Germany