When Dick Dickerson, notorious editor of the National Star, is found drowned in duck dung, the investigation quickly gets mired down when trying to figure out who's behind the attack on the tabloid kingpin. Politicians, movie stars and captains of industry consistently found themselves in Dickerson's crosshairs, but who would stoop so low as murder?

While Odelia Poole and Detective Chase Kingsley conduct their investigation, Odelia's cat coterie is up in arms when a newcomer turns the peaceful town of Hampton Cove into a soap opera of gossip, scandal and secrets. Soon the 'Fab Four' (Max, Dooley, Harriet and Brutus) are duking it out, their friendship in ruins, Max's reputation in tatters.

It doesn't help that Grandma Muffin is waging a personal vendetta against her son-in-law's new receptionist Scarlett Canyon, determined to get rid of her long-time nemesis once and for all. Against the backdrop of all this bickering, backstabbing and strife, is it any wonder Max starts to wonder if Dickerson's killer will be the one that got away?