The story deals with the mysterious death of a well-known writer which takes place while a girl believed to be the daughter of her fiancé is in the next room. Karen Leith is found dead by the girl, Eva, who is then accused of murder. Ellery Queen had met Dr. McClure—the girl's supposed father, and the fiancé of Karen—on board ship, where they learn of the killing. EIIery takes over the case when they land. A mysterious missing sister of Karen's is the possible key to the baffling death.

The deserted mother of a 10-year-old, Gene Taylor, agrees to bait a trap for the guy who was the insurance beneficiary of seven dead wives.

Pretty young Jennifer Phillips asks Ellery to save her father from electrocution for a crime she says he didn't commit and sets off a race against time to save him. Ellery is menaced by Jennifer with a gun who wants him to phone the governor to request a stay of execution for her condemned father.