Chocolate, men, and magic. Who can turn down that inheritance?

If life had gone as she planned, Lexie Green would have been teaching English at a prestigious university, not persuading spoiled, rich women to buy overpriced clothes they didn't need and often looked ridiculous wearing. Can you say electric yellow see-through skirts and Torn jeans with unfinished hems?

Still, although this isn't the life Lexie would have chosen, all is going well. At least until Lexie is fired and her deranged ex-boyfriend tries to kidnap her.

Deciding that it's better to accept a mysterious inheritance from a great aunt she's never heard of rather than end up kept in a cage as her ex's pet poodle, Lexie packs up and heads to Kansas. So, what if she has to go by a new name and live in a town that she can't find on a map?

Unfortunately, once she arrives in her new hometown, everyone there seems just a tad off-kilter and Lexie's cousin insists that the citizens are magical. At least there are a couple of hot guys hanging around for eye candy.

Even though Lexie doesn't believe the nonsense about her being the Ravenscraft Shield, she does believe her father was murdered—a father she never knew existed, and she investigates his death.

Too bad whoever killed her father now wants Lexie dead as well.

Who says murder can't be stylish?

The whole idea of even owning a business, let alone one that had an out-of-the-ordinary sideline like producing charms for those in need, is still new to LEXIE RAVENSCRAFT. A few months ago, out of the blue, she'd received a letter informing her that she had inherited her great-aunt Pandora Ravenscraft's estate.

Unfortunately, she'd soon discovered that her old life had been one big lie and the picture of herself as a wealthy heiress was about as far from reality as her name.

Turns out, she wasn't Lexie Green, she was Alexandra Ravenscraft. And if that wasn't enough to blow her mind, she was the Ravenscraft Shield. An entity that wielded magical powers to be used for the benefit of the citizens of Echo Springs, her new hometown.

Although Lexie is beginning to settle into her new role, there is still a lot she doesn't understand. While she's aware that having supernatural skills is apparently the norm in the community, it's considered impolite, or maybe even dangerous, to ask what type of abilities her fellow Echo Springians possessed.

Which is why rescuing her mother from the Wizard of Washington, figuring out how said Wizard ended up dead, and keeping Echo Springs from the dark magic is so difficult.

Right when Dani thinks she's hit a dead-end in her career, she unexpectedly inherits an enormous old house in a quaint college town. This gives her the perfect opportunity to pursue her true passion — cooking!

So Dani opens Chef-to-Go, preparing delicious, ready-made meals for hungry students attending the nearby university, as well as providing personal chef services and catering events for the local community. To help support her new business, she opens her home to a few students, renting them rooms and becoming almost like a big sister figure in their lives.

But just as Dani is relishing her sweet new life, the friend of one of her boarders is murdered, and Dani becomes one of the primary suspects! She'll have to scramble to clear her name and save her business before the killer reappears — perhaps to silence the new chef forever.

The first book in a brand-new series by New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson, Tart of Darkness is a gripping mystery that won't let you go until you've turned the last page.

The back-to-school season can be murder.

It's the beginning of the university's fall semester and Dani can't wait for the college students to return to Normalton, Illinois — after all, without them, there is no one to support her Lunch-to-Go service, which is a vital part of her Chef-to-Go business. But Normalton University's orientation week is marred by a mysterious murder, along with a series of car-jackings and sightings of a mysterious creature in a pond on campus. And with the whole town feeling unsettled, Dani finds herself dealing once again with the infuriatingly handsome Spencer Drake, the head of security at the university.

Although Dani vowed that her life would never again be boring and routine after she quit her stifling corporate job, she had no idea that she'd end up dealing with such strange happenings, not to mention murder. But as the trouble in Normalton draw worryingly close to home, Dani realizes that if the killer isn't caught soon, she may be the next one who is found scone cold dead.

Dani Sloan will have to solve the murder of a bride to clear her crush's name. Once again, it looks like Dani will get a slice of the action...

In the small town of Normalton, IL, there aren't a lot of opportunities for small business owner Dani Sloan to cater big-ticket events. But that's about to change — a client named Yvette Joubert is marrying Franklin Whittaker, the richest guy around, and they want Dani to cater their engagement party! The swanky event is the perfect opportunity to put Dani on the map for wealthier clients.

But when a storm hits the party after guests arrive, it becomes clear that more than the dinner is ruined: Yvette is found dead beneath the marquee. Is her death a tragic accident, or a perfectly orchestrated murder? Then the case gets even juicier — it turns out that Yvette's ex-husband is Spencer Drake, Dani's almost-boyfriend, and the police start circling. Now Dani must follow an unending list of clues to save her business, her better half, and catch a criminal. Let's just hope they get their just desserts!

Dani Sloan will have to solve the Chili Challenge murder before she or one of her fellow competitors’ chances of surviving the contest aren’t worth a hill of beans. Once again, it looks like Dani’s best-laid plans have been blown up...

Things in Normalton, Illinois are getting hot, hot, hot. When the small Midwest college town is chosen to host the Route 66 Rally’s Chili Challenge, not everyone’s excited by the prospect. Campus activists are upset about the environmental impact, the economic inequity, and the consumption of meat.

And when the contestants’ ingredients and equipment are peppered with sabotage, it becomes clear that there’s someone who’s willing to take a life to get their point across, and Dani must not only cook a killer batch of chili, she also has to follow a trail of clues to save the contest, her fellow competitors...

A twister, a kidnapping, and a murder - oh my! Scumble River may never be the same.

For school psychologist Skye Denison, there's certainly no place like home. When a violent tornado devastates her small hometown of Scumble River, she can't see how the community will ever recover - especially since town councilman Zeke Lyons appears to have perished in the twister.

But things get even worse for Skye when her police chief husband, Wally, disappears in this midst of investigating Zeke's death, and evidence arises pointing to foul play. Did Zeke really die in the storm, or was he murdered? And could Wally be next on the criminal's hit list?

The first book in a brand-new series featuring New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson's beloved setting and characters, Dead in the Water is a gripping mystery that won't let you go until you've turned the last page.

Click:

September 30, 2017

School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd had hoped that her maternity leave would be at least a little relaxing, but when she and her husband, Wally, meet with the priest to discuss their newborn twins' christening, an explosion at the nearby bowling alley rocks the rectory. And although the business was closed at the time of the blast, there's a body inside.

As police chief, Wally is inevitably drawn into the investigation, which seems to indicate that foul play is afoot again in Scumble River, and Skye can't help but do a bit of her own sleuthing. But the clues come fast and furious, ranging from an odd new stranger in town to animosity toward the gambling machines that had recently been installed at the bowling alley, and Skye finds herself wondering if this could be the puzzle that stumps her for good.

School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd is getting ready to return to work from her maternity leave and hoping for a peaceful year in her job as a school psychologist. But when an elderly woman disappears on her first day back and a disgruntled parent threatens to sue the school, Skye realizes that her return will be anything but quiet.

When the parent suing Skye's school is found dead and with the missing woman's case is still unsolved, Skye suspects the crimes are somehow linked. With her chief of police husband, Wally, at her side, Skye dives into the investigations. But as tensions rise and Skye and Wally's suspect list lengthens, they start to wonder whether a member of their own tight-knit community could be behind it all...

New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson has penned another hit for cozy fans with Come Homicide or High Water, the latest installment in her beloved Welcome Back to Scumble River mystery series.

Stupid Cupid is making School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd regret returning to work after her maternity leave. It starts with an emergency school lockdown, continues with her godfather's arrest by the state police, and ends with a dead body!

It's every teacher and administrator's worst nightmare—a school shooter lockdown. And even worse for Skye because she's trapped in a tiny room with the district's creepy superintendent, Dr. Wraige while they wait for the all-clear.

When Dr. Wraige turns up dead in his home just a short time later, is it a coincidence, or something more?

Skye joins her police chief husband, Wally, in an investigation that becomes more complicated by the minute. With a dead boss and a mysterious killer on the loose, Skye is caught between a rock and a heart place—but she won't give up until Scumble River is safe once again.

When Skye Denison left Scumble River years ago, she swore she'd never come back. Now, having been fired from her job, jilted by her boyfriend and rejected by her credit cards, she has reluctantly returned....

Immediately, Skye's determination to keep a low profile as the new school psychologist is assaulted by an army of small-town busybodies and well-meaning family members who can't wait to pry into her life, dole out advice, and volunteer her services in the Chokeberry Days festival. And when the fair erupts in chaos and controversy, the Cow Chip Bingo sabotaged and the jelly contest ruined, Skye closes the event down altogether by finding a dead body....

The deceased, who at first appears to be the elderly host of a beloved children's TV program, and a dear, sweet thing, turns out to be quite different — a sexy young woman with a wild past and more secrets than are in Aunt Minnie's Jello Surprise. And if this stunning revelation weren't enough to intrigue Skye's inner snoop, soon her own brother is accused of the crime....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

When she left Scumble River years ago, school psychologist Skye Denison thought she'd never be back. But after a run of bad luck in the big city, she has a new appreciation for the down-home charm of small-town life — and decides to start over in the town where she started out....

When Skye's beloved grandmother is found dead in her bed, the family consensus is natural causes. Still, Skye insists on an autopsy — an examination that proves the sweet old lady was, in fact, murdered! But who could have done the deadly deed? Skye is determined to find out, though her snooping doesn't sit well with the relatives.

Family tensions can mean only one thing: family secrets. And when a series of hooligan attacks on Skye's property leads to an outright physical assault, Skye has to wonder if by exposing the rotten roots of her family tree, she's one step closer to exposing the killer....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Sleeping Beauty is dead. Star of the school play, cheerleader, and beauty pageant queen, Lorelei Ingels was the most popular girl in school. But today, no one envies her....

While the principal and the police are busy with the politics of this high-profile case, Skye Denison counsels kids and combs for clues ... ever more convinced that high school is a truly dangerous place....

Finagling her way around crazy school administrators, stupid rules, pushy parents, and teens whose slang needs decoding, takes all of Skye's formidable ingenuity. And even ever-optimistic Skye knows that, in this case, finding the killer won't end this tale happily ever after....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Scumble River is celebrating its bicentennial in style — with historical reenactments, bingo, a coal-tossing tournament, and a Crazy Craft race. Serving as the guest of honor is none other than the town founder's great- great- grandnephew, Gabriel Scumble. But his visit turns out to be short-lived when Skye's students Frannie and Justin find him dead with a pickax protruding from his chest.

Meanwhile, Skye's deceitful ex-fiancé, Luc St. Amant, has appeared out of the blue, creating turmoil in her love life. Does the real danger lie in the chance that Luc will drive away the men in Skye's life ... or in the possibility that there's a menacing connection between Luc's arrival and Gabriel Scumble's murder?

Trivia: Scumble River is a fictional small town in Illinois, like those in which Denise Swanson grew up; but Up A Lazy River Motor Court recalls a motel owned by family friends in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where she enjoyed summer vacations as a girl with her parents. An idealized version graces the cover of Murder of a Snake in the Grass.

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

It all began innocently enough, when Skye and Simon joined The Grand Union of the Mighty Bulls, Scumble River's premier social club. But then Skye ended up wrapped in wallpaper, and the club leaders, Barbie and Ken Addison, ended up dead.

Barbie and Ken appeared to be living a dream life, but then who would want to kill such living dolls?

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

The last things school psychologist Skye Denison expects to find in Scumble River are sex, drugs, and rock and roll. But when her brother, Vince, forms a band called Pink Elephant, the town goes wild — and things get very weird.....

First, a student is found in the locker room talking a shower ... with his clothes on. Then a groupie turns stalker, seducing the band members one by one. But when one of the Pink Elephants winds up murdered, the music stops dead. Who's to blame? Everyone seems to think it's Vince — and now Skye has to clear her brother's name....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Yard sales bring out the worst in people. Nobody knows this better than Scumble River school psychologist Skye Denison, organizer of the First Annual Route 66 100-Mile Yard Sale. Neighborly folks get downright nasty, fighting over plastic knickknacks — even pulling rocking chairs right out from under little old ladies.

When her own mother creams a woman for suggesting her pies aren't the flakiest and her daughter is too fat, and a battle of the sexes breaks out among her parents, best friends, and students, Skye knows things have gotten out of hand. But the worst is yet to come. Skye's former summer-job boss, Cookie Caldwell, has just been found murdered. And although the sheriff suspects Skye did it, nobody knows for sure how this cookie will crumble....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Still recovering from the breakup with her boyfriend and alienating half the people in town, school psychologist Skye Denison has sworn off men. Even so, she hires sexy contractor Beau Hamilton to renovate the old house she inherited. After all, who can ignore his qualifications? Golden hair, bronzed chest, muscular thighs — he's just too good to be true.

And when she discovers that Beau has a reputation for conning the ladies, she decides to fire him. But before she can, he turns up dead. Since even bad boys deserve justice, Skye must juggle a passionate police chief, a cagey brother with a secret, and a possibly haunted house to catch Beau's killer.

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

A health spa complete with tofu turkey and "Dress for Sexcess" lectures is the last place school psychologist Skye Denison wants to spend Thanksgiving. But when her best friend, Trixie Frayne, convinces her to take a complimentary weekend at the new Scumble River Spa, Skye accepts her fate and prepares to be slathered, wrapped and roasted.

Then an annoying quartet that includes both Skye's mom and her ex-boyfriend's mother impulsively joins her for a girls-only holiday, and Skye wonders just how bad things can get. She soon finds out — when she's confronted with treatments only a masochist would enjoy, a diet plan fit for a Barbie doll, and a troublesome trespasser searching for a cache of jewels supposedly hidden in the spa seventy years ago. Worst of all, a famous former model turns up dead in the Miracle Mud bath. It looks like no one will be leaving the spa until Skye can identify which of the eccentric guests, pesky local protesters or sneaky treasure hunters is also a killer deserving of special treatment — in the county jail.

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Skye Denison has never aspired to culinary excellence. In fact, she can't tell the difference between mousse and meringue. So when Grandma Sal's Soup-To-Nuts Cooking Challenge comes to town, competing is the last thing on her mind. But that's before she's bullied into entering by her mother, who has four recipes — one of which she has submitted under Skye's name.

Right from the start, trouble brews among the contestants, among the judges, and even Grandma Sal's own family. But a spiteful saboteur takes things too far when cocky contestant Cherry Alexander is discovered drowned in a chocolate fountain. Still struggling with the basics of cooking, Skye must catch a killer. And when it comes to suspects, there are just too many cooks in the kitchen from whom to choose....

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

When school psychologist Skye Denison stumbles over the body of pushy promfest chairperson Annette Paine during a Halloween fund-raiser, it looks like a clear-cut case of promicide. Annette was not the only prom mom desperate to see her daughter crowned queen — and her skirt-chasing hubby is no prince either.

Skye's anxious to investigate, but she keeps getting sidetracked by the overeager new social worker at school and also by her beau's emotional distance. Still, one question haunts her: Since Annette Paine was wearing a witch costume identical to Skye's, which witch was the intended victim? Will Skye realize too late that finding this killer is a matter of her own life and death?

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

School psychologist Skye Denison is already in a tizzy of indecision contemplating her boyfriend Wally's marriage proposal when she very reluctantly agrees to act as maid of honor in her California cousin's over-the-top platinum-style wedding. What's more, she's expected to assist the control-freak wedding planner, which means being available to help 24-7. There goes Skye's much-needed summer break....

Then Skye discovers the flawlessly chic wedding planner lying not so flawlessly dead less than a week before the big event. Suddenly Skye is working double duty on two fronts: making sure every elaborate nuptial detail is executed perfectly, from the butterfly release to the martini luge, and helping the police find out who hated the bossy bridal consultant enough to bash her on the head. Can Skye get her cousin to the church on time — and save herself from a killer who may actually be on the guest list?

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

Who could be driven to kill by books and sweets? While school psychologist Skye Denison eagerly anticipates the grand opening of a new bookstore called Tales & Treats, many of Scumble River's most outspoken citizens want to shut down the owners before they even open — and one is angry enough to commit murder...

Dropping off some books at Tales & Treats, Skye trips over a toppled bookcase, which has crushed a woman beneath its weight. While police search for motives, Skye sees the messy aftermath of a half-baked plot to murder somebody else. Skye is juggling her own busy life, but when all the clues lead to dead ends, she turns up the heat on her own investigation ... and stumbles upon the deadly secret that got this bookstore babe done in. And if Skye isn't careful, the killer just might make her the sequel...

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

When megamillionaire and imitation cowboy Rex Taylor proposes building a country music theater in Scumble River, everyone's ready to do the boot-scootin' boogie except school psychologist Skye Denison. She's been asked by Suzette Neal, Rex's assistant and a rising country star, to investigate her mother's suspicious death twenty-seven years earlier. No sooner does Skye agree to help than she finds Suzette literally flattened — and very dead.

This has fast become a case of two questionable deaths, and suspicion seems to be hovering over Suzette's inner circle: Rex's jealous wife, a mysterious man in a black pickup truck, and the sizzling-hot singer Flint James, who also happens to have been Suzette's bitter rival for country-western fame. With a honky-tonk full of suspects and a tangled web of motives that stretches back two decades, Skye has two options: Rise to the occasion or end up as flat as a crêpe.

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

When ex-Vegas showgirl and local business owner Bunny Reid starts an online dating service called Cupid's Cat's Meow, out-of-town visitors flock to her bowling alley for the speed-dating and cat show events. Bunny's scheme sounds harmless enough, but school psychologist Skye Denison knows all too well that an influx of strangers into Scumble River always spells trouble...

Soon, Skye is called to the bowling alley to break up a fight between a riled-up contestant and the judge who insulted his feline. When the judge's body is found — strangled with a cat toy — it's up to Skye to solve the purrplexing mystery and show a devious killer that her sleuthing skills are the cat's meow.

There's no place like Scumble River at Christmastime, and this year, school psychologist Skye Denison has twice as much to celebrate — and to do. In addition to the usual holiday frenzy, Skye's wedding is less than a week away — that is, if the groom isn't too busy working to attend. The town's sexy new librarian, Yvonne Osborn, has just been murdered, and the list of suspects is piling up faster than late fees on an overdue book.

Yvonne's strict sense of right and wrong annoyed some townspeople and infuriated others. Did her high standards lead to her death? Skye is distracted by worries about what havoc the crazy Dooziers will wreak on her wedding day and whether she'll fit into her dress. But Skye can't afford to leave any page unturned because unless she works quickly to expose the scheming killer, her happy ending may be put on permanent hold....

School psychologist Skye Denison has been waiting forever for her happily-ever-after with police chief Wally Boyd. But her bliss threatens to unravel on the very first day of their luxurious honeymoon cruise, when Skye becomes convinced that she has glimpsed her mother on board! Surely even momzilla May wouldn't have manipulated Wally into booking the same trip that her knitting group is taking... or would she?

May's possible presence can't cool Skye and Wally's ardor on their personal Love Boat, but discovering knitting expert Guinevere Stallings as she lies dying from a stab wound leaves them untangling the clues of yet another murder investigation rather than getting tangled in the sheets. Since Skye found the body, she's considered a top suspect, but she's far from the only one. Guinevere's imperious ways needled nearly everyone, and she left an impressive number of enemies. It's up to the crafty newlyweds to figure out which of the wronged parties was angry enough to cast Guinevere off... permanently.

A nasty faculty feud leaves one Scumble River teacher belly-up. . . .

Her honeymoon may have been less than relaxing, but Skye Boyd née Denison is still high on marital bliss with her new husband, Wally. The fact that their family is about to get bigger is even more exciting, even if Skye is dealing with morning sickness — and trying to hide the news from her ever-meddling mother, May.

But Skye quickly comes crashing down from cloud nine when the body of one of her coworkers, science teacher and volleyball coach Blair Hucksford, is found in the school swimming pool. The troublesome trainer was on the bad side of almost everyone on staff and many of the girls on her team, leaving Skye to sort through a huge roster of suspects. Now she must figure out which wronged party was mad enough to kill, and quickly — before someone else in town gets bumped off. . . .

A school board sourpuss meets a bitter end...

With her morning sickness finally abated, Skye Denison-Boyd is ready to pounce on the pertinent problems she faces as Scumble River Elementary School's psychologist. After trying almost every trick in the book to aid a handful of socially awkward fourth grade boys, Skye opts for the innovative approach of pet therapy with the assistance of the local vet, a Siberian husky, and a Maine coon cat.

Unfortunately, the first session only breeds disaster and draws the ire of cantankerous school board member Palmer Lynch. But Skye's worry over the episode changes to dread after Lynch is found dead in his home with the therapy cat hidden in the garage. With a clowder of questions unleashed, Skye finds herself dealing with a killer who isn't pussyfooting around...

Devereaux Sinclair is the happy new owner of the adorable old-fashioned shop in her small Missouri town. But when a revenge-crazed cop accuses Dev of murdering her ex's fiancée - and the murder weapon is found with her fingerprints all over it - Dev's store, and her life, quickly turn from charmed to troubled. If she doesn't find the real killer soon, this five-and-dime owner will be serving twenty-five to life...

"Swanson puts just the right amount of sexy sizzle in her latest engaging mystery." - John Charles, Chicago Tribune

Rating:
"Veteran author Swanson . . . débuts a spunky new heroine with a Missouri stubborn streak . . . slightly zany, multigenerational take on small-town mores."
- Library Journal

Devereaux Sinclair loves running her old-fashioned store in her small Missouri hometown. If only she could manage her love life as well. Torn between Deputy U.S. Marshal Jake Del Vecchio and her ex, Noah Underwood, the local doctor from a high-society family, she welcomes the distraction when Elise Whitmore offers her a great deal on antique chocolate molds for her Easter gift baskets. But when Elise is shot and Dev's good friend Boone is taken into custody, Dev must clear his name and find the real killer...

"Delightful . . . Readers will look forward to seeing more of the quick witted Dev." - Publishers Weekly

Opening an old-fashioned five-and-dime shop in her small Missouri hometown has been a great change for Devereaux "Dev" Sinclair. But when she hosts a reading group there, she learns that bad writing can mean life or death...

Rating:
"Swanson is in her groove with the third entry in her entertaining Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery that features a real whodunit. The characters are fun and enjoyable, including two hot guys fighting for the heroine's hand. Swanson is a master at the classic small-town mystery."
- Romantic Times Magazine

"Dev ('tough chick') Sinclair - now hosting a book club - is stunned when a guest poet is killed outside her store. Three's the charm in Swanson's fresh, new series (after Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death) set in Missouri."
- Library Journal

Downloadable Reading Group Guide in MS-Word DOC file

When Devereaux "Dev" Sinclair hosts a cupcake contest at her five-and-dime store, she discovers that someone is just dying to win...

With a list of not-so-sweet suspects, Dev's in a race against the timer to solve the murder before someone else gets iced...

"With fun and fascinating characters the author gives us a lively mystery with many twists and turns. Just as lively is Dev's love life with two men competing for her attention, and not liking each other at all. Fun witty dialogue and a fast moving plot keep the reader engaged, and enjoying the ride. Most of the story is told from Devereaux's viewpoint, but we do get to see things through the eyes of Noah, and Jake, finding out just how much they care about Dev. Friendship, attraction, and family complications all add to the mélange that make up this mystery. Mystery lovers, cat lovers, and those who like some humor and romance mixed in with their mystery will enjoy both this book and the series. I know I am hooked."
- Open Book Society

Five-and-dime store owner Devereaux "Dev" Sinclair moved to Shadow Bend for her family. But when her long-lost mother shows up in town, she realizes too much kin can be killer...

Opening up a dime store in her hometown of Shadow Bend, Missouri, Devereaux "Dev" Sinclair thought she'd left the wilds of city life behind her. But she's about to discover that even rural life can be beastly. . .

Handsome private investigator Jake Del Vecchio has rented the office space on the second floor above Devereaux's dime store, and Dev now finds herself embroiled in his first case, which involves Gabriella Winston, the missing wife of wealthy philanthropist Elliot Winston.

Elliot is determined to open a wildlife park on the edge of town but is facing all sorts of angry opposition - including Gabriella. After the Winstons have a bitter fight, Gabriella disappears, and their house is ransacked. The authorities are quick to claim Elliot killed his wife, but Dev's not so sure. One thing is certain: Claws are out in Shadow Bend. . . .

When Aaron Burgess is found slumped over the steering wheel of his tractor and rushed to the Underwood Medical Clinic by his friend and business partner Quito Escobar, no one expected that the situation would turn into a homicide investigation. But when it does, newly licensed private investigator Devereaux Sinclair and her fiancé Jake Del Vecchio are hired to find the murderer. Was Aaron a random victim of some psycho killer or was his murder something much much more personal?

Love is in the air of Shadow Bend, Missouri. Dev and Jake are engaged and moving in together. Jake's ex-wife is working for and dating Dev's ex-boyfriend. And Jake's Uncle Tony has been reunited with his first sweetheart, Birdie. It even looks as if Dev's BFF, Boone St. Onge, has found his special someone.

But romance comes to a screeching halt when a mysterious murder takes place. This puzzle isn't just whodunnit, but how and why.

With a short list of suspects, Dev and Jake are in a race to figure out the answers before someone else gets planted six feet under.