Autumn has arrived, and the citizens of Pickax find themselves amid a clamour of activity. In additition to the opening of its latest theatrical production, the town is celebrating the dedication of a new bookstore and park built in memory of beloved bookstore owner Edd Smith. The merry atmosphere, however is dampened by the suspicious death of an out-of-town actor and the mysterious theft of a rare book. Columnist Jim Qwilleran's research into the historic Hibbard House provides unexpected insight into these strange proceedings. And Qwill's perceptive Siamese cat, Koko, has been acting particularly oddly toward its newest resident. Has Koko gone bananas, or will his behaviour help unravel the mystery?