Murder lurks beneath the surface in this charming coastal town where secrets run deeper than the tide. Six months after solving her first case, innkeeper Claire Whitmore has settled into life at The Whitmore Inn-until a marine biologist arrives with fear in her eyes and cryptic warnings on her lips. When Dr. Evelyn Cross is found floating in the marsh, the sheriff calls it an accident. Claire's paralegal instincts say otherwise. With her scene-stealing Maine Coon, Gatsby, uncovering clues in the most unexpected places, Claire digs into Evelyn's research and unearths a conspiracy that is decades in the making. A grieving widow guards her husband's deadly secrets. A nervous employee knows more than he dares tell. And, the town's most powerful family will stop at nothing to protect their empire, even silencing those who come too close. As subtle hints escalate to undeniable danger, Claire must expose the truth before she becomes the next body in the saltmarsh.