A novel in which the adventures of the main character and a sharp plot are just a frame for brilliant psychological portraits of a whole gallery of characters. There are no “former” private detectives. And Nick Charles has to be convinced of this. It would seem that what’s wrong with coming to New York for Christmas and meeting the daughter of an old friend there? However, this pleasant meeting leads to a chain of dangerous events. The next day, a mysterious thing happens in the house of the girl’s father murder. The police are clearly on the wrong trail. And then Nick has to start his own investigation.