At New York luxury hotel tycoon Victor Baron's famous national beauty pageant, Illinois contestant Amber Middleberry was strangled and hoisted up on scene. Amateur Castle and Becket, who hates that scene, investigate. A black sequin found on the corpse matches no competitor, but host Bobby Stark, Castle's favorite soap TV model father, who in fact has a stalking history without convictions. Meanwhile, Alexis lovingly dumps Ashley just to stop him studying in New York so as to remain close to her.
—KGF Vissers