Recently widowed, Doris 'Dovey' Byrd Rawlins retreats to the peace and solitude of Mourning Dove Ranch located in tiny Love County in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Working to restore her old German farmhouse and to bring her over-grazed land back to life, she remains aloof from her rural neighbors, content with her dogs, her great-aunt Aurora, and her ranch hand for company. That is, until she stumbles across a body. The murder thrusts Dovey into the life of the community. Quilting circles, tail gating parties, and Oktoberfest planning compete with her drive to discover the victim's identity and bring his killer to justice. She pursues clues that could solve the mysgery or cost her life.