Music industry powerhouse Lainie Davis Gardner's past comes back to haunt her in this gripping tale by Robert S. Levinson. First, Assistant D.A. Harry Roman promises he'll prove Lainie arranged the murder of her husband, Roy. Next, Lainie's former lover Thom Newberry offers her a permanent solution to her problem with Roman, but at a price. If Lainie steals a secret file held by brutish moneyman Leonard Volkman, Newberry will keep her from losing custody of her troubled teenage daughter, Sara. Lainie reluctantly accepts help from Rod Flynn, a gregarious Irishman operating Volkman's bogus film production company. Events escalate to include fading movie star Lance Clifford; Chips Crandall, Lainie's nemesis behind bars; and Newberry's teenage son Jerry, whose relationship with Sara brings death and tragedy.