Tennessee Sheriff Tony Abernathy and his small staff are hoping the upcoming celebration of the nation's birthday will be a quiet one. The quilters are hanging a show and antique cars promise to liven up the parade. Life is good. And then it's not. A man's body is found in a tree and suddenly the county's whole population seems embroiled in mischief, mayhem or murder. And blackmail, midnight memorials and a spy game complicate Tony's job.

Includes pattern for Theo Abernathy's mystery quilt (pages 9-11).