Cosette Whitlow is a society matron if tiny Bradley, North Carolina, has one. She kindly volunteers for all the town's charities, but isn't nearly as kind to her own family, neighbors, and friends. In fact, Cosette is emphatically disliked by much of the town - including octogenarian Myrtle Clover. And Myrtle knows that dislike in Bradley can quickly turn deadly.

No one seems surprised when Cosette's body is discovered during a party she's hosting - she was struck on the head with a croquet mallet. Wanting to restore order to the small town, Myrtle resolves to track down the killer - before the killer strikes again.