When a gifted but troubled college student is murdered, evidence points to two of her classmates, one the son of an influential businesswoman from Northern California, the other from a local wealthy family with extended roots in the small coastal town of Montecito. While attending a college career fair with Daley Gray whose son is one of the accused, Carmen Beckwith finds herself immersed in the mystery as it unfolds on the beachfront campus of the University of California in Santa Barbara. Adding to the puzzle's complexity is Daley Gray's odd and out of character behavior that leaves Carmen guessing why and determined to help. Playing amateur sleuth, Carmen sets out to learn more about the murdered coed and her unusual tattoo and quickly identifies a number of possible suspects, each with their own reason to dislike her. After hearing what Carmen has learned, including a possible link to financially rewarding and nefarious activities, Daley Gray offers a few theories of her own and embarks on a course of action that will take her and Carmen on a hair-raising and dangerous venture, revealing old secrets along the way and leading to a startling conclusion.