Annie Sutton is not only a bestselling mystery author, she's the proprietor of the newly opened Vineyard Inn. Recently engaged to local police sergeant John Lyons, instead of making wedding plans, Annie's fighting with him about his older daughter, a troubled teen who has moved home--bringing chaos in her wake. With Annie's beloved brother away on a troublesome journey of his own, Annie needs a friend. She begins to confide in one of the Inn's guests, a mysterious stranger named Mary Beth Mullen. Her mix of kindness and vulnerability makes Annie trust her--until Mary Beth shares a secret that leaves Annie torn between family loyalty and a promise she made.

When a handsome, internationally acclaimed journalist checks into the Inn, he too unpacks a boatload of trouble for Annie, triggered by a provocative photo, covertly snapped--and posted on the internet. Intrigued, as tensions mount between her and John, Annie decides to eschew the police and get involved herself--enlisting Mary Beth's help. But Annie is soon questioning whether anyone on the Vineyard this season is who they seem--and realizing that any chance of happiness rests in finding out just who her real friends are...