A stolen book. A desperate killer. And two very meddlesome parents.

Dashiell Dawson Dane might have a problem. It's not a huge problem. In fact, all things considered, life is good—he's got a wonderful boyfriend, fantastic friends, and a home where he's genuinely happy, maybe for the first time ever. He's even writing regularly. (Okay, mostly regularly.)

There is, however, the teensiest issue with money—in that, he doesn't have any.

And it turns out Dash isn't the only one strapped for cash. The Hastings Rock Public Library has recently been defunded by the mayor and the city council, and the town is in an uproar.

To keep the library open, Dash hosts a charity auction at Hemlock House. But disaster strikes when an exceptionally valuable book is stolen before the fundraiser can begin. And when Dash finds the mayor dead—and Hastings Rock's head librarian refuses to provide an alibi—he quickly becomes tangled in yet another murder investigation.

How could things get any worse?

Oh. Right.

A surprise visit from his parents.