I won't bother summarizing the plot since it's been done so thoroughly by others, but I will say that although people refer to this book as a "cozy," it is anything but. Sure, there's the amateur sleuth, a bevy of sidekicks, and touches of humor but this book is considerably less "gentle" than most cozy mysteries. In fact, that's why I like it better. So if you're getting tired of the small-town, small-minds type of cozy, pick this one up. You *won't* be disappointed!