Sarah Malloy has just helped with the delivery of a bouncing baby girl at her maternity clinic when she receives a visit from an engaging and determined young woman writing an article for the New Century magazine. Louisa Rodgers explains that she is researching the dangers of patent remedies. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines whose ingredients include heavy doses of alcohol and other addictive drugs, and which hurt much more than they help. A few days later, Sarah receives another visitor: a bereft Bernard Rodgers, who explains that his daughter, Louisa, was found strangled in the lobby of the building where the New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Sarah wants justice for the bright young woman, but as she and Frank delve deeper into Louisa's life, they find that nothing is quite as it seemed - and Louisa is not who she claimed to be. The Malloys must first solve the mystery of Louisa's life before they can figure out who wanted to see her dead...