Theft and infidelity disrupt the blissfully smooth operation of a bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin. As the staff adjusts to the upheavals, they are rocked again when one of them is found dead in the store. Was it an accident? Foul play? Detective John Meyer suspects the latter and embarks on an investigation like no other in his career. Everyone’s a suspect but none of them are criminals, throwing off the detective’s finely tuned intuition. Recently divorced, John is increasingly troubled by the details of the case, which closely resemble the particulars of his own marital breakup. Fighting the urge to drown his frustrations in alcohol, he turns to his former partner Maggie and coroner buddy Monty for guidance.