November, 1956 Seattle

A couple witness a murder in their suburban neighborhood. Inspector Riggs identifies the victim as Loretta Newcastle, a local art critic who should have been at the neighbor's dinner party at the time of her murder. Loretta was the art community's newest sensation, and she had a long list of admirers and enemies, including her soon-to-be ex-husband, a jealous museum director, and a pompous art dealer.

Victoria has been burned by the press before, but when the murderer proves difficult to find, she agrees to help Inspector Riggs solve the case-provided can keep her name out of the newspapers. But the sleuthing turns Victoria's love life upside-down, and when another artist is found dead, Victoria must dive into the world of wealthy art collectors, poets, and jealous lovers to reconstruct what really happened on the night Loretta was murdered.