A solid second entry in this well known and well loved mystery series! Only a few weeks after the dramatic ending of the first novel, private detective Kinsey Millhone is hired by a rich and self-absorbed LA woman to find her sister, Elaine Boldt, who hasn't been in touch for about six months. The sisters aren't close but the Los Angelian, Beverly, needs Elaine's signature on some paperwork. Kinsey dutifully starts looking into things, and quickly into a bunch of strange circumstances: the missing woman usually visits a vacation house this time of year, but it's occupied by a sub-letter. She also owned a cat, which is missing as well. And a house across the street burned down after a murder a few weeks prior. How are these pieces connected? Once again Kinsey's case looks almost cold- up until it completely explodes in her face.