Veteran New York lawyer Thomas Dunscomb is drawn into the case of the mysterious Mary Monson after an elderly couple, the Goodwins, apparently perish in a fire and missing money, suspicious evidence, and Mary’s unexplained presence lead to accusations of murder, arson, and theft. Although Mary is wealthy, highly educated, composed, and apparently incapable of such crimes, she refuses to reveal much about her identity, while Dunscomb and Timms investigate the burned house, the remains, the missing gold, and a growing body of contradictory testimony. As newspapers, gossip, and local prejudice increasingly turn public opinion against her and begin to influence potential witnesses, the approaching trial becomes Cooper’s vehicle for exposing the danger of allowing popular sentiment to intrude upon criminal justice.
