Max Fried is hired to find a client’s estate assets, but a killer breaks into his home and steals the client's computer.Max doesn’t know the computer contains clues to a 20 year-old murder but the killer doesn’t know Max has a copy of the stolen computer.Now, only Max knows why people are dying. If he can outwit the killer, he can return to his bar stool on the beach. If not, he’s victim #5.Max Fried is a former computer forensic examiner who devotes his time to swimming, drinking and bathing in the hot Florida sun, but today… it’s a real killer. A murderer is coming his way.When a smooth-talking lawyer persuades Max to find a deceased client’s estate assets, Max takes the job, thinking it will be a snooze. Instead, an old killer with a new identity breaks into his home and steals the client's computer.Max doesn’t know the computer contains clues to a 20 year-old murder but then, the murdering thief doesn’t know Max stored a copy of the stolen computer on his iPod. Too bad for the bad guy, the copy contains evidence that could get him the death penalty.Now, Max is the last one alive who knows why people are dying. If he can outwit the killer, he can return to his bar stool on the beach. If not, he’ll be victim number five.

Max Fried is a former computer forensic examiner who devotes his time to swimming, drinking and bathing in the hot Florida sun, but today… it’s a real killer. A murderer is coming his way.When a smooth-talking lawyer persuades Max to find a deceased client’s estate assets, Max takes the job, thinking it will be a snooze. Instead, an old killer with a new identity breaks into his home and steals the client's computer. Max doesn’t know the computer contains clues to a 20 year-old murder, but then the murdering thief doesn’t know Max stored a copy of the stolen computer on his iPod.Too bad for the bad guy, the copy contains evidence that could get him the death penalty. Now Max is the last one alive who knows why people are dying. If he can outwit the killer, he can return to his barstool on the beach. If not, he’ll be victim number five.

When Brenda McCarthy wakes to the sound of police pounding on her door, her clothes are bloody and she doesn't know why. After detectives say her date's dead body washed up on the beach, she turns to private investigator Max Fried. Max wants to help her, but neither he nor Brenda are so sure she's innocent.

It's hard to be a tough investigative reporter when Mommy owns the paper, you lose your apartment, and you have to move back home. There's also no solace in your social life when you own at least one bridesmaid dress for every friend you have. Just ask rookie reporter, Raquel Flanagan.The night Raquel covers a carnival opening, a Bearded Lady of questionable gender finds a dead farmer planted next to a Kewpie doll. Both the farmer and the doll sport straw hats and overalls. Anxious to prove herself to Mom, who is a pathological perfectionist, Raquel locates reports of additional victims dead next to dolls that match their occupations.At first, no one believes Raquel's theory that a serial Kewpie Killer exists. Then Raquel meets and falls for Eddie Franklin, a cop working Kewpie Killings in Florida. Eddie can't leave his job, and Raquel's mom wants her to run the paper in New York. Raquel doesn't know what to do. She still hasn't found a place to live, and now someone's sending her Kewpie reporters with tape over the eyes and mouths.