Some people move to rural areas like the Gold Rush towns found in the foothills of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains to have a more serene life. That stated goal changes for Ken Bastion and Elena Purillo when Anthony Hughes, a popular bartender at Sequoia Woods Country Club, is found dead. They team up to help solve the murder. Ken, a retired, single, San Francisco television news anchor, spends his days writing his memoirs and nights drinking beer at the country club. Dissatisfied with his life, he sees solving the murder as a way out of his depressing existence. Elena, a woman in a long, lifeless marriage, had an affair with Anthony and fell in love with him. She feels that finding the murderer would bring closure to her relationship with Anthony and jump-start the rebuilding of her marriage. The chapters alternate between Ken's and Elena's points of view. They eliminate the eight suspects through interviews and discussions. As part of the process, they eat lumpia and drink lots of local wine and beer. Finally, they reveal to the clueless rookie detective in charge of the case, the one person who had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime.