Jessica is delighted when her nephew Grady invites her to spend a few days with his family in an oceanside New York bungalow. She packs her bags and heads down to the city, ready to spend some quality time with Grady; his wife, Donna; and their young son, Frank.

But the morning after Jessica's arrival, Donna finds her boss dead on a tennis court, and Jessica's dreams of a relaxing visit are quashed. Everyone in the small beachside community is a suspect, and the local authorities--headed by an old colleague of Cabot Cove sheriff Mort Metzger--have asked that no one leave town. Will Jessica be able find a killer and salvage the rest of her trip?