When the sister of Hollywood movie queen Audrey Chase is kidnapped, she hires L.A. private eye Nate Ross to handle the case. What he at first suspects is nothing but a Tinseltown publicity play turns more serious-and possibly deadly-when the press gets wind of the story.

In a race against the clock to rescue Elizabeth Chase, Nate's forced into working alongside L.A.P.D. detectives, led by his sometimes friend, sometimes enemy, Captain Carl Queenan. As they track the wily "body snatchers' across the City of Angels, the unwilling partners face complications ranging from the death of a washed-up actor with a connection to both sisters to dead-end leads, ransom drops gone wrong, slippery suspects, and a growing attraction between Nate and his movie star client.