This novel is structured differently from Wambaugh's earlier works. Here he focuses on one detective's case, making this more a mystery novel than a procedural novel. The cast of characters is more varied too, as the reader is introduced to the country club set, and the dog show world as well as to policemen, their families and their friends. The comedy in this novel is broader and more physical than in the earlier novels; it is often close to slapstick.