Susan Wren, a former San Francisco cop scarcely recovered from the shock of her husband's murder, takes over his job as police chief of Hampstead, Kansas, vowing to avenge his death. Everything backfires as she attempts to overcome the multiple burdens of sexism, resentment, ignorance, and her own wild suspicions; still, her investigation uncovers a second murder, dubious land development schemes, and illegal toxic waste dumping.