Rachel’s neighbor, Julia, was thrilled to be chosen as a judge in Juniper Grove’s annual garden show, so when the owners of the prize-winning garden invite her to a celebratory party, Rachel tags along. But the party comes to a crashing halt when one of Julia’s fellow judges drops dead. As Rachel struggles to piece together the events that led to the judge’s murder, she soon discovers that lies and ruthless ambition rule the supposedly genteel world of gardening.

In her race to discover the killer, Rachel must juggle her worries about Julia’s safety with her increasingly frustrating love life. Convinced her romance with Chief Gilroy has stalled and that he is keeping secrets from her, she must decide whether to accept things as they are or rock the boat.