Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police Department makes his second appearance when a Honolulu widow is forced to sell her pearl necklace. She persuades Charlie to convey the necklace to its new owner, a famous businessman.

Chan teams up with the son of a prominent jeweler handling the sale. But before they can safely deliver the necklace into the proper hands, the pair need throw criminals off their trail and solve a murder mystery.

The novel, published in 1926, was adapted for film in 1927 and 1934.