With her son grown, single mum Pearl, pursues her lifelong dream and starts a private detective agency, which she runs from her family restaurant in the coastal town of Whitstable. Drawn by her caring nature, locals soon flock to her with all kinds of cases. When Pearl Nolan discovers the body of her friend and oyster supplier chained to the anchor of his ship. The police, led by out-of-towner Chief Inspector Mike McGuire, believe it was an accident, but Pearl, who also runs a private detective agency, suspects foul play.

Working with local cop DS Nikki Martel, Mike investigates the death of a diabetic estate agent force-fed marmalade. When a woman hires Pearl to look into a large sum of cash left in her mailbox, Pearl discovers Whitstable may have a mysterious benefactor-but are they connected to the murder?

When a Civil War re-enactment ends in tragedy, Pearl and Mike find themselves on opposing sides. Their inquiries reveal a community bitterly divided by the memory of a miner's strike and the possibility that there is more to the accident than first meets the eye.

When a mother takes her daughter out for a boat ride despite the father's wishes, the boat starts taking on water and the two need to be rescued. Was it an accident, or were they targeted? Pearl investigates while Mike tries to enjoy his time off from police duty in the days before New Year's Eve.