Police inspector Daniel Robinson wants help with another cold case, and Fenella Woods is always happy to assist. This time, it's a fifty-year-old murder case that has captured Daniel's attention.

With witnesses and suspects well into their seventies, working out what happened to Mabel Gross all those years ago is going to be a real challenge. When Winston, the neighbor's dog, starts barking at a storage shed on the promenade, Fenella can't help but fear that he's uncovered a more modern murder mystery. Instead, she finds herself looking after an injured mother cat and a foursome of extremely active kittens.

Things are still somewhat awkward between Fenella and Daniel, but helping him with the case seems a good way to work toward a new beginning. Between looking after kittens and taking a class in reading old records, Fenella doesn't have much time for investigating the murder.

Can Fenella help Daniel solve such an old case? It feels as if nearly everyone is keeping secrets. How can she persuade Mabel's family and friends that now is the time to reveal all? And can she find good homes for the kittens and their mother before their antics drive her crazy?