Roger Kent, a young student, accepts an invitation to join his aunt Esterline's little colony of displaced persons at her mansion in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. She believes that her guests, if true to themselves, find their true destiny' at Seldom Go By. Roger is drawn to Valerie Wilson, who tips him to his aunt's eccentricities.
These include her harboring of an old beau,' Dr. Clyde Oppian, a disgraced obstetrician. Oppian's wife evicted him because of his cheating with Linda Schneider, a gorgeous, affected troublemaker. Esterline tolerates Linda to keep Doctor Clyde around. But Linda won't leave Roger alone. Their brief affair, which she advertises, upsets everyone. And the murders begin.
Roger is accused of a ghoulish slaying and must prove his innocence. He is further caught up in Valerie's peril as she becomes entangled in intrigue and commitment. They find that things are seldom what they seem at Seldom Go By. Events proceed along gothic lines, with mounting tension. You may want to skip the last two chapters lest they make an indelible impression.