When former investigative journalist Nora Thompson inherits her aunt Clara's lakeside B&B in the charming town of Lake Haven, she expects a temporary stay to settle affairs before returning to Chicago. Instead, she finds herself drawn into a web of small-town secrets when the overbearing festival chairman is found dead during the Fourth of July fireworks.
As the evidence mysteriously points to Nora's best friend Beth, she reluctantly dusts off her investigative skills. With help from Clara's clever cat Watson, who seems to have a nose for finding clues, Nora begins to uncover layers of deception woven through Lake Haven's picturesque façade.
Sheriff Colin Blake wants her to leave the investigating to professionals, but as threats mount and suspects multiply, Nora realizes the killer walks comfortably among them. Could it be Marianne, the chairman's much younger wife who stands to inherit everything? Or Hank, his nervous business partner with a mysterious past? Perhaps Mayor Crowley, whose budget irregularities were about to be exposed?
With each revelation, Nora finds herself more deeply connected to her late aunt's life-and to a community that harbors both loyal friends and calculating enemies. As fireworks again light up the summer sky, Nora must solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.