Joe Riddley and his wife, Mac, own Yarbrough Feed, Seed, and Nursery in Hopemore, Georgia. Joe runs the landscaping part of the business and Mac keeps the books and oversees the store in town. In addition to working at Yarbrough Feed, Seed, and Nursery Mac is one of the three magistrates in Hope County.

For months now Joe Riddley has been threatening to shackle Mac to her desk to keep her from meddling-in-murder. Mac never believed Joe would actually carry through on this threat, but when a body is found out on the bypass, Joe follows through and handcuffs Mac to her desk at the Yarbrough Feed, Seed, and Nursery.

Starr Knight, the taxidermist's daughter, is found murdered on the bypass. Her body is found in a stolen truck and she is dressed so conservatively that in death she could have been mistaken for a nun. In life Starr dressed very provocatively and everyone who knew her knew she wouldn't be caught dead looking so respectable. So why was she dressed so out of character?

Several months later the two men accused of Starr's murder are in prison. They had beaten Starr to death with a baseball bat and their fingerprints on the murder weapon put them behind bars for many, many years to come.

While the town of Hopemore is preparing for an upcoming taxidermy convention, the body of another young woman is found in the elevator of the local motel. She too is found dressed totally out of character, wearing a red dress, mink coat, high heels and heavily made-up. Are these two murders somehow connected? And will Joe Riddley be successful at keeping his wife from meddling-in-murder?