Judith McMonigle Flynn is the owner of the Hillside Manor B&B. Her husband Joe, a retired police officer now working as a private investigator, helps her run the B&B. Judith's eccentric mother Gertrude also lives on the premises. Renie Jones, Judith's cousin, and her husband Bill spend a lot of time with the Flynns and Judith and Renie are more like close sisters than cousins.

Rudi Wittener and his girlfriend, Taryn Moss, rent a home next to the B&B in a quiet neighborhood on a cul-de-sac. The problem is Rudi practices his violin at all hours of the day and night and sometimes even out in his yard in the nude, which the neighbors find rather annoying.

Andrea and Dolph Kluger and their daughter Suzanne Farrow book two rooms at the B&B. Dolph is Rudi's mentor and has come for a visit. For some reason this group makes Judith uneasy. Perfectly ordinary people. So why, she wonders, does she feel so on edge?

A small gathering is being held at the B&B when Elsa Wittener, Rudi's ex-wife, passes out. Than Dolph goes for a walk and is found dead on the sidewalk. Turns out he was poisoned. Renie's charge cards are taken by someone while she's visiting Judith at the Inn.

A violin bow that once belonged to Fritz Kreisler and is worth $350,000 is missing. The B&B is supposed to be a haven of peace but over the past several days it has become more like a living hell. Nothing is simple involving this not-so-merry bunch of oddballs. But the question still remains, who wanted Dolph Kluger dead?