Finding the body of a backpacker rumored have been abducted by a UFO puts an end to Qwilleran's summer vacation. Quill is determined to dispel rumors circulating in Moose County that extraterrestrial beings may be responsible for the disappearance of a stray backpacker. Koko, on the other hand, is spending hours on the porch in the dark, watching the sky for stars--or something!

The development of a major resort complex at the southern end of Breakfast Island is causing a ruckus. Local residents, summer people and mainland fisherman are all hopping mad that the peace of their island retreat is being shattered. Then a cabin cruiser explodes in the marina causing general alarm. But when a series of deadly accidents follows on the heels of the mysterious explosion, Qwilleran begins to wonder if sabotage is involved.

All the world's a stage--and now Jim Qwilleran's apple orchard has become the stage--for a real-life murder scene. The much-disliked director of the Pickax Theatre Club's Shakespeare production, Hilary van Brook, is found dead after the closing-night cast party ... and with the help of his super-smart Siamese, Qwill must cast a suspicious eye on all the players--especially the ones pussyfooting around behind the scenes.

Qwill and his cats vacation in Mooseville, but when the carpenter he hires disappears, he begins to investigate what may be a serial killer's plan to wipe out the area's woodworkers.