Dixie Hemingway used to be a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department. Now she takes care of pets while their owners are away. Living in the Siesta Keys, a seaside community of Sarasota, where the occasional shark keeps swimmers alert and the incredibly wealthy residents seemingly have no discernible talents, Dixie is certainly not lacking for clients.

Judge and Mrs. Hopewell Powell have just left on vacation, leaving Mame, their elderly miniature dachshund, in Dixie's care. While on a morning walk Mame gets loose and begins to dig up a dead body buried in a mound of mulch.

Conrad Ferrelli is the murder victim. His dog, Reggie, is one of Dixie's clients and she has dog-sat for Conrad and his wife Stevie several times in the past. Dixie begins to receive threatening messages on her answering machine stating "you're next," then someone tries to run her down in a parking lot and rattlesnakes are planted in her apartment.

Conrad Ferrelli's psychopathic killer is after Dixie. Homicide Detective Guidry is assigned to the homicide case and between him and Dixie they must find enough evidence to put this psychopathic killer away for good.