Everyone knows the name Hope McDonald—and not just the couple thousand folks in Loon Lake. Her advice column is syndicated worldwide to about eighty million readers.

When the wise old woman is found murdered in her home, Chief Lew Ferris can think of more than a few suspects—and calls on Doc Osborne for help.

Since Hope was dealing with some desperate souls, Doc and Lew will have to think of the perfect bait to net a cold-blooded killer. . . .