After solving her first big murder case in the small town of Celosia, North Carolina, Madeline Maclin hopes to at last be taken seriously as a private investigator. She's opened an office in the home of her best friend, Jerry Fairweather, who is trying to escape his con man past. Madeline is hired to find Kirby Willet, an eccentric inventor who left boxes of his belongings, including one filled with money, at Frannie Thomas' house. Meanwhile, Voltage Films director, Josh Gaskins, thinks Jerry's old house will be perfect for his horror film, Curse of the Mantis Man, about Celosia's mythical beast. Then there's Rick Rialto, one of Jerry's shady con man friends, who arrives to stir up trouble. When Gaskins is murdered, Madeline uncovers many suspects and is forced to make -- and investigate -- some hard bargains. At least one of which is with Jerry.