Rotondi, a former District Attorney and college roommate of Simmons, was in love with Jeannette, who ultimately married Simmons. Simmons's estranged daughter, Polly, accuses him of her mother's death. His son, Neil, is CEO of the Marshalk Group, a lobbying powerhouse. He is a mere figurehead. The real power is unscrupulous Rick Marshalk, Rotondi digs deep into the circumstances surrounding the crime and discovers a tangle of greed, deceit, betrayal and money laundering.

Margaret Truman knows the nation's capital and how it operates. She gives a timely look at the ways in which unscrupulous public officials betray the people they are supposed to serve. She explores the world of power brokers, focusing on the lobbyists who have raised influence peddling to a fine art. The lobbyists are known as the 4th branch of government because of their ability to affect legislative decisions. We are given a look at the arrogant politicians and lobbyists who cut corners and skirt the boundaries of the law to gain their goals.

Flashbacks to the college days of Philip, Jeannette, and Lyle provide insight into their personalities. There are a number of intriguing secondary characters, for example Jeannette's sister and Rick Marshalk. Mac and Annabel Smith only make a brief appearance. There is a touch of romance in addition to lots of intrigue, murder, and mystery and a refreshing lack of gore and profanity.