Aurora "Ro" Teagarden, a Lawrenceton, Washington librarian, belongs to a real murder discussion club, its members including her best friend reporter Sally Allison, Ro's mother Aida Teagarden's boyfriend John Queensland, the town's mayor Terry Sternholz, and ex-juvvie Perry Dell. Ro and her boyfriend, ex-CIA agent Martin Bartell, receive a surprise visit from his long lost niece Regina Walker and her newborn Hayden. Martin didn't know she was married let alone a mother. Regina further mentions that she and her husband Craig Walker have been living in nearby Corinth, Washington for four months. Needing to head out to John's birthday party at Aida's house leaving Regina and Hayden alone at Ro's, Ro and Martin arrive home to find Regina and her car gone, Regina's bag still there, and a dead man on Ro's front porch, he who eventually is identified as Craig Walker. This murder case is the first as lead for Detective Arthur Smith, and the first for him working under his wife, Captain Lynn ... Written by Huggo