Virginia Oakey

House Murders Virginia Oakey

The murder of a prostitute, Cole, leaves the four remaining prostitutes in an unusual parlor "house" grieving, since she had been very special in their stunted lives. In desperation, since the murder of a prostitute lacks high priority with the San Diego police, they plead for the services of Melba Duncannon. She is an investigative reporter, who has come to their attention through lurid magazine accounts of her successfully bull-dogging the murder of a prostitute long after the police had lost interest. Their pleas strike a responsive spark in Melba primarily because the murdered girl, Cole, came from an obviously affluent background. Why has she sunk so low, so fast? Who are her enemies? Did they come from her old world of privilege? Or from her new one of lawless degradation?