An unwitting columnist. A shocking death. A devious killer.

Is Zee Morani tracking clues or playing a role orchestrated by a murderer?

When Zee discovers the bloodied corpse of a disgraced medical researcher, the accused killer begs her for help. But Zee is not a cop. She's not even a PI. She's a regionally syndicated satirical columnist who dreams of breaking into serious journalism.

Zee believes the suspect is guilty. After all, he staggered into her as he fled the scene of the crime. But she's made a career of challenging bureaucracy. The drive to defend the underdog, or at least give him a fair chance, pulses in her veins. Unfortunately, everything she learns only strengthens the police case.

Even as the facts pile up against him, Zee's instincts argue for his innocence. Her friend Fontina's finely tuned intuition concurs. But while Fontina supports Zee's investigation, Rico, a seasoned crime reporter, balks at her intrusion in the case. Despite their recent breakup, he wants to protect Zee from the world of violence he knows all too well. He also wants to re-ignite their romance. Tempting as that is, Zee resists him, her heart shackled by the pain of past betrayals. They agree to work together as professional colleagues and friends, but it's an uneasy alliance.

As Zee digs deeper into the murder, her involvement makes her a target. Her inexperience tempts her to back away from investigating, but her commitment to truth won't let her quit. When Rico suffers a vicious attack, her fury burns the last vestiges of fear. Gritting her teeth, she tackles a nasty thug, a suspicious police lieutenant, and in the end, the barrel of a gun-all to unmask a stone-hearted killer.