Down south, the holidays mean family--and for Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair, family means the Sweet Briar Ladies Society sewing circle. It may not be a white Christmas, but it's one she'll never forget--no matter how hard she tries.

Instead of spending a nice, relaxing Christmas with her fianc , Tori Sinclair has been drafted into Sweet Briar's holiday Decorating Committee. And the season has brought sad tidings as well: Charlotte Devereaux, a sewing circle founding member who unraveled after her storybook marriage fell apart, has passed away.

Charlotte's last days were foggy, distressed, and feverish. except for the sketches she produced. One detail in particular jumps out at Tori and leads to a shocking revelation: Charlotte's husband didn't leave her--he was murdered And as she gets closer to the truth, Tori will discover that just about everyone in town has got notches on the naughty list this year.