San Francisco Inspector Kate Martinelli's previous experiences did not prepare her for the unusual crime scene. The murder victim, Phillip Gilbert's, home was an exact replica of Sherlock Holmes' residence down to the working gaslights. As the investigation proceeds, Kate receives an introduction to the eccentric world of Sherlock Holmes' devotees. Kate and her longtime partner, Al, struggle to find a motive for the murder, for Phillip lived a secret multilayered life.

Kate and Al unearth a possible new Conan Doyle manuscript that was in Phillip's possession. Reading the riveting Holmes short story, Kate finds that the death described in Doyle's tale matches Phillip's demise. Kate tries to untangle the clues and uncover any other similarities. As she attempts to discard the red herrings, Kate probes further into the club members' lives, hoping to rattle one into revealing their secrets.

Ms. King writes a well-plotted mystery while weaving fascinating San Francisco and Marin Headlands National Park history into the tale. Blending fact and fiction, she ingeniously crosses her Kate Martinelli novels with her Mary Russell mysteries, giving readers an added bonus.