Josephine goes to great lengths to learn about the secrets hidden in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Her basset, Solow, leads the journey while David and Alicia try to slow her down, afraid she will find more than she can handle. The set-painter for the Ben Lomond Theater is found dead in the hot attic—the door locked from outside. Josephine takes his place as set painter along with Alicia and Kyle. Jo can't resist looking into another murder mystery. She befriends Mac's widow, their adopted son and a niece and nephew. Strange things are happening in the mountains and Josephine and her Aunt Clara are there to discover all of it.