Sarah Brandt finds herself involved in the secretive world of Chinatown when she is called to attend the Irish-American wife of a Chinese merchant. Since the United States government has prohibited Chinese women from immigrating, many Chinese men in New York City have married Irish girls. Although these women encounter prejudice from the white community, Sarah learns that the women are quite happy with their lot in life. Their mixed-race children don’t necessarily share their contentment, however, and when one of these girls runs away, Sarah uses her detecting skills to help her family find her. When the girl is later murdered, Sarah must ask her friend, Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy, for help. Has someone in her family killed her for rejecting an arranged marriage with a Chinese man to elope with a penniless Irish lad? Has her would-be fiancé killed her for dishonoring him? Or has someone in her husband’s family killed her because of her mixed blood? Together, Frank and Sarah must learn to understand the Chinese culture before they can unravel the secrets of Chinatown and find a killer.