Violetta Pelicani, massage therapist in Grado, Italy shortly after WWI, meets a young man at almost the same instant she learns her favorite uncle is dead. Suspicion of murder arises, and the two work together to prevent Vi from being accused. Though she has helped her uncle run his gelateria, she expects to gain nothing from his death, but she has already gained an admirer in John. John Baxter is in Grado to assist his brother's travel home from a military hospital. John, or Gianni, as Vi calls him, is immediately smitten with Vi and wants to help her, while enjoying her company and her gelateria's gelato, but will sleuthing get in the way of sampling the famous spumoni?