Peter Rogers took the job as Whistling Pines recreation director after his tour of duty in Iraq. He looked forward to the quiet interactions with the senior citizens to help ease him back into the civilian world. When Axel Olson is murdered in his room Peter is thrust into the investigation by the Two Harbors Police Chief. Axel is universally hated ("I wouldn't piss on his head if his hair was on fire!") leaving no shortage of suspects, and motives sprout from every conversation. Even Axel's children hate him and they leave Peter in charge of funeral arrangements, which are quickly complicated by rumors of bag pipers at the funeral. While Peter scrambles to find a piper in Northern Minnesota, where none seem to exist, the rumor of bagpipes grows as does the crowd of funeral attendees, quickly exceeding the seating in the small Lutheran church. As the funeral plans spiral out of control, there seems to be no solution to the murder until the day of the funeral when all the pieces fall into place.