Steamy, seedy, swampy south-central Florida once again serves as the backdrop for the unlikely duo of loquacious, tattooed, trash-talking Maggie Moore and laconic Detective Silas Gabriel Jackson—linguistic genius and genius detective, respectively. Now operating their own agency and using their extraordinary skills in forensic semiotics (her), and good old-fashioned observation (him), the pair decode clues embedded in words and symbols to uncover a sadistic criminal who preys upon unsuspecting men.

The troubled and painful pasts of both Maggie and Jackson come into play as they try to track down bad guys and old friends, figure out how to trust—and whom to love. Once again, Stella Sands delivers a snappy, sharp-tongued and well observed story about life, love, and language.