In The House That Jacqueline Built, private detective Philip Marlowe finds himself reflecting on the past year while up the coast, haunted by the murders he has encountered. Just as the clock strikes midnight, he is approached by Professor Felix Piper, who is in a state of panic over the sudden disappearance of a house that contained vital research on tropical herbs. Piper, along with his partner Stephanie Fraser, pleads for Marlowe's help, revealing that the house was not just a structure but a repository of years of work that has now vanished without a trace.