In the small Oregon coastal town of Blue Whale Cove, residents appreciate the safety and comfort that comes with everyone knowing everyone else. There isn't much excitement, and people like it that way, which is why a string of burglaries rocks the entire town. When an expensive Fabergé egg pendant goes missing, the town residents are unsettled but largely unconcerned. As the burglaries continue and it becomes clear that the burglar must have intimate knowledge of the town, its residents and their possessions, the residents experience the unfamiliar sting of fear. Elnora Landlin is a second-generation Blue Whale Cove resident who finds herself torn between the desire to continue her normal life and the desire to make sense of what is happening in her small town. Even as chance sets her on a path that could lead to answers, she finds herself wondering whether she is simply chasing shadows and pretty things.