Tricia Miles, mystery bookstore owner and amateur sleuth, throws a housewarming cocktail party in her new apartment. She even cooks all the food herself, which is quite a feat for someone who previously could not boil water. But when one of her guests is fatally poisoned, Tricia is left to wonder if her cooking is to blame--or if there is something much more sinister at play. Either way, she is once again in hot water with her ex-lover Chief Baker. Meanwhile, the charming town of Stoneham is being disrupted by a vandalism crime wave. It is the hot topic in the race for chamber of commerce president, which sees Tricia pitted against two bitter rivals. With all that is going on, can Tricia find the killer before she is the next item on the menu?