Addie Reagan, Pinkerton detective, is called to Seattle to investigate some suspicious res. It's the spring of 1889 in the pioneer town and drier than usual. Why is an arsonist setting small res around town? Henry Yesler, prominent sawmill owner, wants to know. e volunteer re department is woefully inadequate. e whole town is made of wooden buildings taken from the nearby forests. Fire is a present danger. Addie follows leads all over town and into a nearby community. e trail leads to a reclusive photographer, a prominent judge's son, a mental health sanitarium and deep into Chinatown, where she discovers an injustice, for which she wants to ght. Will Addie be able to solve the mystery before the arsonist does real damage? Will her uptight boss trust her to do her job? Will she be able to fend o the attentions of unwanted suitors? Who is the ever-present photographer at every small re? Just when she's at a dead end, a great re explodes and burns the whole business district and Chinatown. How will Addie nd the real arsonist now and did he set this re? And how do the people of Seattle rally to rebuild and make things right with their neighbors? Addie nds a way.