Detective Gryce is called upon to determine the how and why of the man's murder, if it is truly a murder, when he is discovered dead in the study of his New York City home. In order to find out what happened to the victim, Gryce must look into the significance of the few evidence, including the screams of a talking bird, with the help of Miss Amelia Butterworth. It will take two families and many generations to solve this crime. Author Anna Katharine Green was an early inspiration for Agatha Christie and is often referred to as "the mother of the detective novel."