When affluent financier Pennington Lawton suddenly dies of a supposed heart attack and leaves behind a shocking revelation of impending bankruptcy, his only daughter and sole heir, Anita, is left nearly destitute and emotionally shattered. Determined to uncover the truth behind her fathers untimely death and the mysterious loss of his vast wealth, Anita enlists the help of renowned detective, Henry Blaine. Blaine is resolved to untangle the web of deceit surrounding Lawtons demise and restore both the Lawton reputation and Anitas inheritance. This thrilling crime narrative is a collaborative work by Isabel Ostrander, an eminent author of early American crime fiction, and William J. Burns, a former director of the Bureau of Investigation and celebrated private detective. Burns real-life cases provided the backdrop for his true crime stories that graced the pages of detective magazines in the early 20th century. (summary by J. M. Smallheer)