After the splashy success of her last big case, Portland, Maine, sleuth Olivia Lively struggles to manage her one-woman firm's sudden growth spurt.
When an old friend offers her a chunk of cash to investigate his wife and brother who may be having an affair, Liv reluctantly agrees in hopes of getting Lively Investigations back on track. She heads to a cozy cabin in the northern Maine woods to investigate, thinking it will be a chance to enjoy summer while also solving her cash-flow problem. But when Liv stumbles onto the suburban wife's dead body, she also finds surprising connections to a seedier underbelly of crime, strip clubs, steamy literature, and human trafficking.
Having failed to save one woman, Liv is determined to rescue another. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Jasper-aka Dr. Hottie-pushes their relationship too far, too fast. Her best friend Ashleigh becomes obsessed with all things baby. And FBI Agent Colin Snow keeps appearing and disappearing in a maddening way. Amid the turmoil, Liv questions her choices and contemplates her true desires.
It's a sticky summer in Portland, Maine, and in the heat of it all, Liv discovers that often the most complex relationship a woman has is the one with herself.