Crime reporter Evie Hartley was at the height of her career, but a series of ethical missteps cost her everything. Now, she's working for a small-town newspaper's culture section, trying to prove to everyone, especially herself, that she's able to do her job by the book.

When there's an opening for the crime beat, Evie jumps at the chance. And while she manages to impress her boss, she makes an enemy of the detective she played to get the inside scoop. Her methods may straddle the line between professional and underhanded, but they work, and Evie solves a case the police haven't been able to crack. Detective Marcus "Penn" Pennington reluctantly calls a truce and becomes her go-to police source as she investigates more crimes for the paper.

Evie's thirst for the truth sets her on a dangerous path, and poking around in a cold case results in sinister anonymous threats. When she forms an alliance with someone who seems to know far more about the missing person's disappearance than he should, Penn sticks to Evie like glue, blurring the lines between protection and possession. But even with a cop watching her back, Evie's willingness to do anything to get the story might just get her killed.