Louis is found murdered, and his wife is arrested for the crime. But she is innocent. A look back at Louis' life unreels years of poverty and deception - he was taught that he was the only man who had the secret of love. Julia is an executive and a workaholic. Her friends Annie and Brad convince her to take a Mediterranean cruise with them. Once on board, Julia meets Louis, a European whose eloquent manners and gossipy tales captivate Julia. She sends him money to fly to California after the cruise and they are married. Soon after the marriage, Louis realizes Julia is not the wealthy woman she appears to be. He then begins a life of duplicity in California, all the while keeping Julia happy. This is a story of friendship, loyalty, and love. It is also a story of cunning, contempt, and murder. The reader is in suspense until the last page of the book when the murderer is revealed.