The story follows sixteen-year-old Ginny Marshall, who, after a conflict with her grandmother, runs away to Brooklyn, only to become a suspect in a murder case back in Maryland. Her arrival disrupts the lives of Maggie Ryan and Nick O'Connor, prompting Maggie to embark on an undercover mission to uncover the truth. As she investigates, the past begins to intertwine with the present, putting both families at risk and revealing hidden secrets.
Maggie Ryan, a statistician, investigates a suspicious death that the police deem a suicide after returning to her alma mater to assist Professor Charlie Fielding. As she analyzes the crime scene, her unique insights lead her to suspect Fielding, colleagues from the psychology department, and the widow of the deceased, retired professor Tal Chandler. The unfolding mystery explores themes of perception and deception within an academic setting.
The story intertwines the lives of Steve Bradford, who yearns for a different life in Venezuela, and actor Nick O'Connor, navigating new parenthood while working with the renowned Ramona Ricci. When tragedy strikes with Ramona's shooting, Steve entangles his wife Maggie in a perilous deception, forcing both men to confront their desires and responsibilities. Themes of ambition, love, and the complexities of family dynamics unfold as their lives become increasingly intertwined in a web of danger and moral dilemmas.
In a gripping narrative, graduate student Monica Bauer navigates her research on a groundbreaking brain tumor drug while forming a connection with a Vietnam veteran. Amidst the chaos of lab rats being killed and a custodian's murder, statistician Maggie Ryan partners with actor Nick O'Connor to uncover the truth behind the violence. Both women confront personal challenges with the men in their lives, intertwining themes of love, loss, and the quest for justice against a backdrop of scientific ambition and ethical dilemmas.
Set against the backdrop of 1968 Vietnam and campus unrest, the story follows graduate student Mary Beth Nelson as she delves into Mayan languages while grappling with the threat of violence. As women unite to learn self-defense amidst rising tensions, Mary Beth's housemate Maggie Ryan becomes embroiled in a murder investigation that reveals hidden truths. The narrative intertwines personal struggles with broader societal issues, highlighting themes of resilience, friendship, and the quest for safety in turbulent times.
Set against the backdrop of 1967 America, a couple takes a transformative break from New York City to serve as artists-in-residence at a college. As they embody the characters of Claudius and Ophelia in a production of HAMLET, ominous events begin to plague Lisette, prompting Nick to suspect deeper motives behind the threats. With the help of a student lighting technician, they delve into a mystery that intertwines their lives with the turbulent social climate of the era.
Set against the backdrop of Brooklyn's Park Slope, the story follows realtor Len Trager as he struggles to sell a brownstone haunted by a corpse and an uncooperative tenant, Julia Northrup. Maggie Ryan and her husband, Nick O'Connor, are undeterred by the unusual circumstances and see potential in the property. This fourth installment of the Maggie Ryan series, originally published in 1989, is a nominee for the Macavity and Anthony Awards, blending mystery with a unique real estate twist.