Some people are convinced that Private Eye Thanet Blake is a social pariah. Others believe having contact with him insures them of having a short life. A few are convinced he works for the city's mortuaries and drives a hearse.

When Captain Holt of the Police Department informs Blake that PI's are being offed by an unknown person, he asks Blake for help. "We don't have a single clue as to who is doing the offing. We need your help to do some nosing around for us, come up with clues that will lead us to the perp. I'll even put you on the payroll."

That starts another murder mystery for Thanet Blake, the shamus who hates murder cases because too many of his friends end up dead, or forever hurt. Who will he lose this time?