The death of an elderly woman in the sleepy little town of Monroe, Wisconsin, was recorded on the death certificate as "heart failure." But the woman's best friend, Ada Klausner, thinks otherwise. She wants an autopsy performed to verify the cause of death. Her persistence raises a question about another suspicious death attributed to "heart failure." Because of her reputation as an eccentric personality, Ada's concerns go unanswered. Detective Samantha Gates has recently been transferred to the Monroe Police Department as a second chance. She was involved in an incident at the Silver Bay Police Department that resulted in the suicide of a fellow officer. As she comes to terms with the guilt of that incident, Gates is contacted by Ada, who gives her a compelling argument for investigating the death of her friend. At the same time, the Monroe Police and Fire Commission chairman, Roger Nussbaum, is vying for an appointment to the governor's newly formed "Crime Commission." He has contacted Police Chief Brandon Johns to make sure that no scandal surfaces to hurt his chances. He has touted the low crime statistics in Monroe as the cornerstone of his bid for the appointment. When Gates approaches the chief with her intention to follow up on Ada's suspicions, the chief is caught in a dilemma. Does he allow her to proceed with her investigation that could confirm that a murder was committed and probably scuttle the political aspirations of Mr. Nussbaum?