A young beauty from a wealthy, powerful California clan disappeared, and at the same time a lethal dose of a powerful sleeping pill disappeared. Is she alive or did she commit suicide? While Lou Archer is trying to find out, two murders are committed, both of them connected with the girl’s family... A young lady, Maud Slocum, turns to Lou Archer with a request to find the author of anonymous letters defaming her, addressed to her husband. But just as Lou begins his investigation, disaster strikes at the luxurious Slowcum mansion. The body of the owner of the mansion, Maud's mother-in-law, is found in the pool - and the story of banal anonymous letters turns into a case of a mysterious murder... ContentsSleeping BeautyDeath in the pool