It's 1884. Emma, now with a young son and no longer travelling with Daniel on the Mary B is finding it difficult to settle into small town life. Until she's called on by her friend and neighbour Henrietta Pickles to investigate the death of her father-in-law.

Who wanted Old Mr. Pickles dead? Was it his business partner, that arrogant patron of the Ladies Benevolent Society whom Emma recently confronted?

Or is this about wills and inheritance? The police seem to think so when they arrest Henrietta's daughter Janet. Emma sets herself to expose the culprit and return Janet to her young family and the Primrose Tearoom.

But while she rallies family, new friends, and old enemies alike to the cause including Janey her annoying but indispensible maid-of-all-work, Daniel isn't thrilled that she's sticking her nose into other people's business. Can Emma negotiate the investigation without creating fraught relationships with her fellow town dwellers?

Well, apart from the Coroner and Sergeant Donovan anyway. Because with Janet about to be sent down south to that grim and forbidding edifice the Melbourne Jail, Emma will have to prove them both wrong to save her friend from death row. And they certainly aren't going to be too pleased with her if she succeeds in that.