Even though I had not read the 2 previous books in the P.J. Sugar series I had no trouble understanding the story. PJ is a young gal who desperately wants to be a private investigator but it seems that she always manages to get into trouble. She becomes the beneficiary of an old mansion from the Kellogg family. She does not understand why she should be the one to get the house. As she goes through the house the first time she falls into a hole in the floor that goes to the basement. A basement full of grime. Aside from inheriting the house, in her job as assistant to her boss Jeremy, she needs to find a bail jumper who seems to always out of reach. Speaking of the boss, she is trying to further their relationship, but an ex keeps getting in the way. This ex is actually a high school sweetheart who also is on the local police force. So juggling all that there is her family, sister Connie, nephew Davy and a 'missing mother'. She is also on the case of a man, Max, who sought her out and she agrees to do a trade off with him. He will help her restore the Kellogg mansion and she will try to figure out who he is. See, Max has amnesia and is having a hard time trying to remember events that had him washing up on shore. So after 4 years he wants to know who he is. PJ wants to find out more about the Kelloggs because there are secrets to be told and PJ is just the person to get to the bottom of the mystery . This story is filled with humor, romance and jealousies between the men in her life. Makes for a very fun and happy read.