When a Hollywood screenwriter vanishes, private investigator Peter McVey and his associate Browning are thrust into a dangerous search that leads them from the city's seedy nightlife into the heart of the Chinese underworld. McVey and Browning must navigate a web of deception involving a missing man, a suspicious woman named May Lin, and a trail of clues that point toward a mysterious script. The narrative follows a classic hardboiled framework, utilizing a sharp, cynical first-person perspective to detail the duo's investigation. They face physical threats from shadowy figures and logical hurdles as they attempt to discern the truth behind May Lin's inconsistent testimony. The story unfolds with a focus on the grit of the Hollywood scene, where every encounter is a potential trap.

This novel is characterized by its adherence to the classic hardboiled detective tradition, emphasizing the cynical atmosphere and sharp-tongued protagonists typical of the genre. The inclusion of Raymond Chandler as a character suggests a self-aware homage to the roots of noir fiction, grounding the story in a specific literary lineage. Readers likely appreciate the brisk pacing and the atmospheric depiction of a mid-century Hollywood underworld. The narrative structure relies on the interplay between the two investigators, providing a dynamic contrast as they navigate increasingly complex and dangerous situations.