Stephanie Plum is down on her luck. She's lost her job at New Jersey's most down-market lingerie store, her car's on the brink of repossession, and her apartment is fast becoming furniture-free. Enter Cousin Vinnie, a low-life who runs a bail-bond company. If Stephanie can bring in vice cop turned outlaw Joe Morelli, she stands to pick up $10,000. But tracking down a cop wanted for murder isn't easy. And suddenly Stephanie has another problem on her hands. Benito Ramirez, a prize-fighter with more menace than mentality, wants her to be his friend – and he won't take no for an answer. Soon Stephanie begins to know exactly what it feels like to be pursued – and the best person to protect her just happens to be on the run...