He was quite dead, with knife wounds front and back. When insurance agent Kim Alexander stumbles across her major client on his kitchen floor, she is sucked into more than she bargained for. The client's widow and nine-year-old son are part of a large extended family, but it's Kim to whom they turn for help. The family objects to Kim's involvement, and the police suspect she is collaborating with the widow to collect insurance money. Even her boss smells something fishy. Kim, drawn to the appealing youngster and supportive of all widows, does her best to help them while fending off threats to her own life. Death Benefit presents a vivid picture of Boston clan life and the many intersections of family and crime.