Earl Derr Biggers' second Charlie Chan novel took the detective to the California desert where he uncovers the reason for the mysterious disappearance of a millionaire. Biggers was always a great romance writer who simply incorporated mystery into his books to propel the story forward. The story concerns a valuable string of pearls which is purchased by a wealthy and eccentric financier. Charlie Chan embarks on an incognito journey across the desert to find the answer to a question – a question posed by a dead parrot who spoke in Chinese. Chan goes undercover to solve a complex triple intrigue of fake identity, kidnapping and murder. Charlie's first trip to the mainland is a sparkling adventure full of mystery and old-fashioned romance.