In a previous book, Case of Imagination, Mac solved her first murder. This properly set up her Private Investigation office and now she is busy at work. She is apparently swamped with at least three cases, and several side cases constantly popping up.

Her first case involves the disappearance of a town eccentric, Kirby Wallace. Kirby is an inventor who stored some of his belongings at a friend's house and disappeared. While searching for clues to his whereabouts Mac discovers a box stuffed with money. That makes his disappearance all the more mysterious.

In the second case a movie production company has came to Celosia to film a movie about the town’s legendary monster, the Mantis man, and they have chosen the house that Mac shares with her love interest Jerry Fairweather as a central location. Is the monster real?

Speaking of Jerry, good man though he is, he often finds himself running harmless scams. What is the truth behind the death of his parents years ago and why does it still affect him so?

As Mac investigates the various cases she soon learns that not all is as it seems and she may have to make some Hard Bargains in order to solve her cases and put the past to rest.

Mac Maclin is a character any southerner would recognize and feel empathy with. I always find something to enjoy in a North Carolina setting as that is my home, but this book’s characters were so real and such fun that I think it could have been set just about anywhere.

It was great reading and I will gladly recommend it friends.