While vacationing in the coastal town of Rye, Lori Shepherd is stranded at an inn called the King's Ransom, where she is spooked by ghostly noises in the night. But in this 23rd mystery in the series (after Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse), Lori learns that the inn was once a hangout for smugglers, and that it's riddled with secret tunnels used to reach a network of hidden caves. Then there's the cook—a brawny, gruff ex-con—who seems to have a beef with a mysterious French guest. Joining forces with her new friend Bishop Wyndham, and guided by her departed Aunt Dimity's wise counsel, Lori sets out to discover once and for all who is haunting the King's Ransom.