As associate director and curator of special collections at the Yates Museum, Caroline is excited to pick up a prized antique quilt from Nancy Critchley, one of Banburyport's wealthiest residents, for an upcoming exhibit . . . Until she discovers Nancy dead on the floor of her beautiful Federalist home. The muslin bag that held the quilt is empty. On the table is a napkin smeared with what appears to be tomato juice—in a design that may have been Nancy's final message.

Garret Seldon, the town's new police detective, pinpoints museum intern Amber Foster as the top suspect. Amber's blog is sharply critical of the Critchley family, among other prominent citizens from Banburyport's past, for exploiting less fortunate residents in order to gain their riches. But could long-ago sins really have spurred someone to stab Nancy with a pair of sewing scissors?

All of Banburyport is abuzz with theories, including the regulars at Farrow Square Coffee. A humiliated caterer, a developer angered by Nancy's work with the Historical Preservation Committee, disgruntled family members—there are plenty of possible motives and suspects. And then there's the missing quilt, a priceless creation that's almost 200 years old.

Caroline and her good friend and landlady, Libby, are convinced of Amber's innocence. And somewhere among these tangled threads, Caroline knows there's a pattern to be uncovered, one that ties together the colorful secrets of Banburyport's past and present . . .