It's the summer of 1924, and Nora Finnegan is balancing the daily demands of her reporter's job at the Carmel Pine Cone with the equally important needs of her new husband and two adopted daughters.  If that weren't enough, she's asked to take on an undercover assignment to expose a mysterious bootlegger who is attempting to sell illegal alcohol to the village business owners despite federal Prohibition law.  Nora can't turn down the challenge, even though it means her life will become more difficult, if not dangerous.  She and an unexpected ally cruise the hidden world of back room speakeasies where bootlegging toughs hold sway.  In no time, Nora's investigating skills complement those of her sheriff husband who is chasing liquor smugglers operating along the California coast. Added to the mix is the sudden resurrection of the unsolved murder of a Bohemian artist whose suspected killer disappeared 18 years ago.