In California on a book tour, Jessica is invited to stay by her old friends, Clark and Ginny Blanchard who are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary at their home in Santa Barbara. Clark is a highly successful businessman but Jessica soon learns that when drunk, he's also violent and beats Ginny. When Clark is found dead, beaten with a fireplace poker, suspicion immediately falls on Ginny but Jessica is certain her friend is innocent. There are several other suspects including a businessman who lost his company to Clark Blanchard and an employee whose wife was having an affair with him. Jessica puts it all together.
—garykmcd