Murder is not child's play...

For Gretchen Birch, her mother, Caroline, and her aunt, Nina, doll collecting is a family affair. They may disagree on other things, but when it comes to dolls, they share a passion that goes way beyond children's toys—to the most exquisite (and expensive) creations in history.

Caroline Birch. Put her away. The message was clutched in the fist of a destitute former doll collector found dead at the bottom of a cliff with a valuable French-doll's parasol in her pocket. And the person seen fleeing the crime scene fits Caroline's description. All evidence points to her as the killer, but Gretchen and Nina know she's innocent. The problem is, Caroline has disappeared—and she's left them an urgent warning that Gretchen is in danger, too...