Jessica is in Moscow attending the International Writers League Conference when a waiter attempts to steal her purse at an evening gala. Unbeknown to her, her fellow writer, Russian Sergei Chaloff, had put a canister of microfilm in her purse when she wasn't looking. The thief is apparently shot by security officers and the police seize Jessica's passport until they can figure out just what is going on. Jessica is soon absolved of any wrongdoing but Chaloff is arrested. Jessica believes the waiter was assassinated to protect someone's identity and sets out to find exactly what is going on.
—garykmcd