Autumn has descended on Serenity, that quiet, cozy town nestled in the crook of the mighty Mississippi River--or, one might say, with crooks. For the rain and fog have also brought an undercurrent of chaos--and it's not just because the fall colors clash alarmingly with Vivian Borne's pantsuits. The only remedy is a trash ‘n' treasures shopping spree. But the Bornes are about to get more than they bargained for. . .

Brandy Borne and her suspiciously well-informed mother, Vivian, have the winning bid on an abandoned storage unit's "mystery" contents, which they discover includes a vintage cornet. But when they arrive to claim the rest of their loot, the space is empty--except for the recently stowed body of Big Jim Bob, Vivian's tipster--a.k.a. former flame. Only one thing is certain: someone has definitely put the "rage" in storage!

Murder turns to mayhem when an intruder steals into the Borne home, tries to mete out some ruff justice to Brandy's ferociously fluffy shih tzu, Sushi, and makes off with the cornet. But why is the horn worth killing for? Clues soon lead the sleuthing Borne duo to the next stashed victim--and some of Serenity's juiciest secrets. Now Brandy and Mother will have to play a perilous game of cat-and-mouse droppings to catch the corpse-hoarding killer before it's time to blow "Taps" for all concerned. . .