While restoring her house in Cabot Cove, Jessica worries that her contractor is preoccupied by the remodeling of another house until the project is put on hold when the client who may or may not be a vampire is found murdered.
Back in Cabot Cove to orchestrate a surprise birthday dinner for Seth, Jessica is drawn into what looks like a small-time theft by Charlie Garrett and an apparent Mob connection.
In New York, Jessica's publisher Edward Graham seems to be cracking up following the death of his wife. But was a fall from the top of the building suicide or murder?
Jessica's teen writing class has two promising students, Alida and Chris. But when Chris' loan-shark stepfather turns up dead after pursuing Alida and fleeing a hit-and-run, Chris is the prime suspect.