Since her divorce, librarian Alice Pepper has had to rethink her golden years. Luckily, she's always fit in with a group of puzzle-obsessed friends in the Oregon town of West Hazel. And when a local lady goes missing, Alice must put her curious mind to work to assemble a picture of the woman's life--and determine if she's a runaway wife or a victim of foul play . . .

The owner of a dance and martial arts studio, 63 year-old Michelle Chong is a well-liked fixture in the West Hazel community, despite being married to the famous--and famously temperamental--artist, Lars Olsen. That's why when she disappears, people don't blame her for fleeing her dysfunctional marriage. Still, Alice has her suspicions, especially after learning about Lars' violent past--and current affair.

When Alice receives a custom-made puzzle as a gift, the artwork seems so familiar that she assumes it's from Lars as an apology for his bad behavior during a recent visit. As she and her friends get to work on it, they're stymied by a missing piece.

With evidence pointing to Michelle's disappearance being planned, Alice turns her attention to her own fractured family. But a shocking chain of events, culminating in a brutal murder, makes Alice question if any piece of the past can ever be put to rest . . .