In the fourteenth mystery featuring Henry Gamadge, the urbane sleuth is drawn into the tightly controlled world of the Dunbar family. The Dunbars are New York aristocracy—wealthy, respectable, and excessively private. But their serene façade is shattered when Alice Dunbar, a quiet and seemingly contented relative, suddenly disappears. While the family insists she has simply gone away for a rest, Gamadge suspects foul play. As he investigates, he uncovers a stifling atmosphere of family secrets and a pattern of "accidental" deaths that suggests someone in the household is not just dangerous to know, but deadly. Gamadge must navigate the polite silence of the upper class to find the truth before another "accident" occurs.