As the Highland Games approach, Jim Qwilleran and the citizens of Pickax prepare to celebrate their Scottish heritage with such events as bagpipe skirling and tossing the caber.

But the traditional revelry is marred by troublesome rumors when a visiting jewelry dealer, renowned for his romantic streak (and his mysterious cash-only policy), is found dead in his hotel room. His assistant is missing-and soon, the winner of the caber-tossing contest disappears as well. Qwill has a lot of mysteries to sort out-not the least of which is Koko's sudden interest in photographs, pennies, and paper towels...