Civic-minded librarian Miss Helma Zukas has reluctantly agreed to use her long-dormant skills as a canoeist to paddle down Washington Bay on behalf of the Bellehaven Library relay race team. But before Helma has a chance to test her aquatic talents, she is once again matching wits with the local police over the identity of a killer. And this time it involves keeping her somewhat flaky artist friend, Ruth Winthrop, off Death Row.When the flamboyant Ruth rejected the attention of a dirty old man in a local bar, she never thought it would be to put him off permanently. But when his body shows up just outside her studio, the police consider her a prime suspect. Helma knows for sure that Ruth is no killer, but she didn't suspect that asking too many questions about the life of the unsavory dead man would unearth some long-buried scandals...and cause someone to want to close the book on one inquisitive librarian.