In January 1986, Tasha Howard hires her cousin Kinsey Millhone to find an heir of the wealthy Malek family.

With illicit help from Darcy Pascoe, a friend at California Fidelity Insurance, Kinsey tracks Guy to the small town of Marcella near Santa Teresa.

After being rescued by local pastor Peter Antle and his wife Winnie, Guy has become a devout Christian and turned his life around.

Kinsey believes the crime's motive lies in the past but can't reconcile Guy's misdemeanors with the character of the man she knew.

Kinsey discovers that Bennet and his university friend Paul Trasatti completed the crime under the name Maxwell Outhwaite.