Following her high school career, she obtained her English degree at Wayne State University, graduating in 1962.
[4] The novel deals with the death of a disliked university professor, murdered in a gruesome way ("large dent in his skull, multiple stab wounds, and his tongue cut out"[5] as described by the reviewer).
The first series of Detective Luke Abbott starts with this novel, dealing with serial murder in his hometown Wychford.
The detective meets his friend from childhood and eventually falls in love with her, adding to the plot the romantic aspect of it.
The heroine eventually finds herself in the midst of "Chinese politics, priceless jade, bootleggers, and drugs," delving deeper into the more serious matters.