As Master of the prestigious Jefferson Hunt Club, "Sister" Jane Arnold is the most respected citizen in her Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain town. The region is ruled by proper social conduct and deep-seated tradition, yet murders sometimes do occur, and in Rita Mae Brown's long-running series, Sister Jane always proves ready to hunt down evildoers.

Heading to Kentucky for the Mid-South Hound Show, "Sister" Jane Arnold finds that the fun is squelched when contestant Mo Schneider turns up dead—stripped to the waist, and peppered with birdshot. Mo had no shortage of enemies, making the list of suspects as long as the line for pecan pie at a church bake sale. Following The Tell-Tale Horse, this 7th outing takes a personal turn when Sister's friend Hope Dies of an apparent suicide. Then a pet food manufacturer disappears, and Sister senses a surprising connection between these three cases.