Another case for private investigator Patrick Kenzie looked almost effortless: scare off the scoundrel who was harassing young Karen Nichols. A few months later, Patrick learns that while he was away, she took her own life. And before that, she had been repeatedly detained by the police for abusing alcohol and drugs and for prostitution. Patrick is at a loss: he couldn’t have been so wrong about Karen’s identity. He won’t calm down until he finds out what really happened to her. Along with him, the strange secret will be unraveled by Angie Gennaro, whom Patrick has long been hopelessly in love with.