James Qwilleran is enjoying a vacation at the Nutcracker Inn, but the tranquillity is soon interrupted when one of the other guests is found dead, and feline detectives Koko and Yum Yum do their best to help Qwill solve the case.
Millionaire philanthropist and newspaper columnist Jim Qwilleran's hopes for a peaceful spring season are squashed when he becomes involved in the investigation of the death of Widow Coggin, while at the same time trying to keep up with all the other strange happenings in Moose County.
Moose County's Great Food Expo is disrupted by a bomb blast and journalist Jim Qwilleran sets out to investigate with the help of his extraordinary Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum.
The resort development on Pear Island makes local residents, summer people, and mainland fishermen hopping mad, but who is angry enough to commit murder?.