Bright, determined and focused Abby Taylor

has not lost her sense of humor in spite of taking an indefinite leave of absence from her position as Professor of Anglo Saxon Studies at Vassar College due to Polycystic Kidney Disease. And she certainly doesn''t go out looking for trouble any more than her attractive companion, Northern Arizona Forestry Professor David Neale does. But once again it finds them. And once again, Abby''s beloved Corgi dog Francis will do all that he can to protect his humans. In the midst of the beautiful ranching country near Prescott, AZ, where their borrowed house is located, Abby and David, along with the faithful Francis, should be enjoying a pleasant break from daily cares and concerns. But alas, disturbing events begin unfolding left and right.

Questions and mysteries in Arizona

Who would poison a Hereford Yearling? Who would shoot an innocent and much respected Basque sheepherder? And who would turn the highway going down from Mingus Mountain into a death trap? As they try to live their peaceful lives amidst the splendor of the high desert, it becomes evident that some questions must be answered if Abby, David, and Francis are going to stay alive... in Arizona.