Desiree Shapiro is no lightweight when it comes to crime. At five foot two and pleasingly plump, she always takes on cases she can sink her teeth into. That's why she is so reluctant to investigate the death of little Catherine Corwin. After all, the police, the medical examiner, and the child's doctor all concluded that the sickly nine-year-old dies of natural causes. But Catherine's wealthy grandmother believes it was murder and asks Desiree to look into things. Desiree agrees, but only to set the grieving woman's mind at ease. And everythin gdoes seem kosher at the elegant uptown Corwin mansion--until Desire notices one small thing that convinces her someone did want Catherine to die. But finding out who, how and why may make even a smart cookie like Desire crumble in confrontation with a most unsavory killer.