Bookstore owner and armchair sleuth Kate Rowan loved a good murder mystery -- until she fell for an actual killer.

Once, she'd hoped her fling with security expert Gary Fenris would lead to something more, but then he confessed his secret: To avenge a deceased lover, he took someone's life. Now, Kate can't even crack the spine on a cozy, let alone a noir. Meanwhile, Gary resolves that protecting others from danger -- and protecting Kate from himself -- is his best shot at atonement.

But when Kate's Great-Aunt Roselyn is found with a bloody knife over her neighbour's dead body, on a property guarded by Fenris Securities, Kate and Gary must work together to solve the case.

Their sleuthing sends them on a high-stakes treasure hunt from their little neighbourhood of Willowsend to the busy streets of London. Back in forced proximity with her killer ex, Kate can't help but wonder if, this time, she can convince Gary to turn the page on murder.