When Holly and her friend Archie are in LA (flown out there by the billionaire Brant Buchanan) they bump into a character from Holly's past. Petal Moses is in the middle of making the film version of her autobiography. While filming in the heart of the Californian desert, the director catches something 'dragonlike' on camera. However, before it can be properly examined, the roll of film goes missing. Realising this is a case for Dirk, Holly immediately calls him up. In no time at all, the dragon detective is up to his neck once more in a dangerous investigation involving some Californian Desert Dragons who spit poison rather than breathe fire.