Single mom Colbie Summers has a lot to be grateful for in the run up to Thanksgiving. Relocating back to her California hometown has brought her irascible dad and adolescent son closer. Her gourmet cat food line-vetted by her trusty taste-tester, Trouble-is about to get a big re-order. And she's made wonderful new friends and colleagues. Too bad one them has just been accused of murder . . .

Sunnyside's most gifted students have been at the mercy of a shadowy network of college fixers-including an abusive oboe teacher whose recommendation is necessary to get into Julliard and a school secretary who alters grades for cash. When they turn up dead, Colbie has to untangle a cat's cradle of suspects and motivations-from livid parents and students whose dreams have been crushed to an entire secret Facebook group of spurned lovers.

Suddenly, holiday preparations just got a lot hairier. With the big re-order now on hold and the real killer still at large, Colbie discovers that someone has been grading on a very dangerous curve-and it will take all her newfound sleuthing talent to land safely on her feet.