Mark Steele is delighted when his daughter Janet shows up at his Boston office for a surprise visit. Janet, however, has more than a visit with her detective father on her mind: she's seeking his help. Janet and her husband Thomas own The Pepper Creek Resort in Vermont, and it seems someone is pilfering valuable items belonging to guests."Nothing big," she assures him, "come up and visit with us, bring your fianc e, relax by the pool, and look around a bit-that's all."Steele has no way of knowing that his daughter's innocent invitation for a restful weekend for himself and his fianc e, will be anything but a vacation. Fun, romance, and relaxing with family will come to an abrupt end when a horse returns to the stables without its rider. The search for Maurine Tazco, the missing woman, will escalate into a murder investigation when her body is found in a secluded spot off the bridle path, and Steele will be catapulted into the pursuit of her killer.Pepper Creek Resort and its unique guests hold more surprises for Steele than he could ever imagine, and he must navigate a whole new lifestyle while pursuing a clever killer.