This book investigates the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Karen Silkwood and the corporate malfeasance of the Kerr-McGee plutonium processing plant. Richard Rashke, an investigative journalist, utilizes extensive interviews, legal transcripts, and internal corporate documents to reconstruct the events leading to Silkwood's fatal car crash. The narrative argues that her death was not a simple accident but a direct consequence of her whistleblowing activities regarding safety violations and radioactive contamination.

Experts and readers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the risks faced by corporate whistleblowers. The prose is noted for its journalistic rigor and its ability to synthesize complex legal and scientific details into a compelling narrative.