Teenager Austin Barrett made a big mistake when he tried to mug Zukie Merlino, but now he's on the run after witnessing a murder and he needs her help. And why not? Whether it's helping her friends at the delicatessen to corner an olive oil shoplifter or tracking down a killer who seems to have vanished into thin air, Zukie is always happy to put her pasta e fagioli on the back burner and apply her detective talents to solving a mystery.