Irene Adler, accompanied by her faithful chronicler Nell, daredevil reporter Nellie Bly, and master sleuth Sherlock Holmes, works to outmaneuver her enemies and learn the truth about her secret birth.

A New York Times Bestseller -- He called himself Alvin Limardo, and the job he had for Kinsey was cut-and-dried: locate a kid who's done him a favor and pass on a check for $25,000. It was only later, after he'd stiffed her for her retainer, that Kinsey found out his name was Daggett. John Daggett. Ex-con. Inveterate liar. Chronic drunk. And dead. The cops called it an accident -- death by drowning. Kinsey wasn't so sure.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I cherish my unmarried state. I'm female, twice divorced, no kids and no close family ties. I'm perfectly content to do what I do. It was two days after Christmas when Kinsey Millhone received the bank slip showing a credit for five thousand dollars. The account number was correct but Kinsey hadn't made the deposit. Then came the phone call and suddenly everything became clear. The frame-up was working and Kinsey was trapped. 'Grafton on form yet again' - "The Times". 'Grafton crafts a crazy, credible puzzle with jigsaw finesse' - "Sunday Times". 'An unusually compelling series of novels with a notably convincing central character' - "Guardian".