Blind Catholic priest Arguello identifies the man murdered in his church as Castle's famously reclusive idol, a one-hit great American novel author. Beckett, reluctantly, admits she needs Castle's knowledge of City Hall when they run out of suspects. The author's multiple pseudonyms, 'for long participatory research purposes', including a mob hit-man, lead to infidelity and fraud. Meanwhile, Ryan and Esposito each hope to supplement their meager family budgets via the NYPD Sergeant exam.
—KGF Vissers