Nothing ruins a good walk on the beach like finding a mysterious suitcase full of damaged bones and a skull. The discovery rocks the peaceful community of Mermaid Bay, known for its historic beach cottages. The gruesome find is nothing like the usual summer ills of litterbugs and teens drinking under the pier for the idyllic seaside community, located a few miles from Virginia's historic triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown.

Ominous posters, followed by threatening notes and voodoo dolls, push the already-worried town's business owners closer to the edge. Then, while trying to cope with the onslaught of threats to their community, prickly bookstore owner Emory Jessup turns up dead, strangled with a string of holiday lights. Christmas shoppe owner Jade Hicks has to connect the dots among all the strange occurrences before the summer tourist season is ruined and the spotlight of blame is focused on her store.