In order to solve the murder of the wife of one of Cabot Cove's deputies, Jessica and Sheriff Tupper get drawn into beauty shop gossip. Through the course of their investigation, they get a big surprise when they discover the deputy has been having secret liaisons with several single women in town.

After being notified of her sister's death, a friend of Jessica's gets hit by a car, and almost loses her life. Fearing that both events are connected, Jessica takes it upon herself to travel to the small town in Oregon, where Charlotte had a thriving hotel called "Garden of Eden" while posing as her grieving sister. Upon her arrival she sees that things aren't what they appear, especially after Charlotte was swiftly cremated and several people wanted to take control of the hotel, including the less than honorable sheriff and town doctor.