Haveyoueverwantedsomethingsobadlyyouwouldkillforit?Identifiedonlybythehastily—andclumsily—chosenaliasCharlesBrockden,thenarratorofthisstoryfindsabookstorethatinstantlypiqueshisdesire.Hemustcallithisown;hemustaddittohisalready-extensivecollectionofbookstores.Butsurelytheownerofsuchafineshopwouldn’teasilypartwithit.Brockdenformsaplantoacquirethestoreinsuchawaythatnoonewouldeversuspectfoulplay:untraceablemurder.