1.
Anna died, and Anna came back to life.
She closed her eyes and opened them again to find herself a poor young woman in nineteenth-century Whitechapel, London. The air was cold and damp, the remains of poison churned in her stomach, and the bile she vomited up was still sour. Beside her lay the previous owner's final note: "No one can stop me from dying. It ends tonight."
At the time, Jack the Ripper's bloody shadow was returning, and the fog over Whitechapel was thick with death and fear. As a forensic doctor, the first thing she did upon waking was pick up a mysterious letter beside the vomit, using someone else's body to do it.
2.
Mysterious letter: "The nights are long and cold. I hear that you are unwell, and I am deeply concerned. Ah... These endless nights. Please take good care of yourself. If you are troubled, hear sounds you cannot explain, or notice unsettling traces, remember that I am always watching over you from behind, offering you a little, insignificant guidance.
I await your reply with great anticipation. Please forgive me for disturbing you so late at night. Yours faithfully, Mr. M."
A fireplace lit itself for no reason. Someone was watching her movements. The mysterious Mr. M brought her a strange old object. She thought she could stay out of it, but never imagined that she had long since become a marked piece on the board.
3.
Good news: Scotland Yard is urgently hiring an anatomical doctor, with a salary of two hundred pounds a year, paid daily. The job comes with a permanent position.
Better news: The agent found her a room in the West End, beside Regent's Park, in a neighborhood so safe you could leave your doors unlocked.
Best news: The landlady is kind, breakfast is included, the weekly rent is cheap, and women get an extra discount.
Bad news: The address is 221B Baker Street.
Worse news: Her flatmate is Sherlock Holmes.
Worst news: Watson is newly married, and the great detective has just lost his capable assistant. He's stuck between "I need a capable helper" and "but no one can compare to John." And she's caught awkwardly in the middle as his tenant.
Holmes: New tenant, forensic doctor, steady hands, exactly the right qualifications.
Anna: I just wanted to rent a room. Why does it feel like I've taken on a second job?
When your new flatmate is a great detective, every detail about you ends up in his notes.
The first draft of this blurb was written on July 4, 2025. The revised version was written on February 25, 2026. Screenshots have been taken.
Theme: Only by venturing deep into the heart of darkness can we glimpse the source of the light.
