Jessica finds suspicious activity brewing in her quiet town when two bodies are discovered in the Appletree sisters' garden. While the new sheriff, Mort Metzger, considers the case open and shut, Jessica can't believe her longtime neighbors have suddenly become serial killers. She and Metzger struggle to work together while the case reveals more twists and turns and additional people potentially looking to make a killing.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Confirmed Bachelor: Gender flipped; Jessica brushes off the rumor about Mr. Penroy and one of the Appletree sisters becoming involved, saying that Lillian and Helen wrote the book on being unmarried. In fact, Mr. Penroy's heart attack occurred due to the angry response when he proposed to one of them.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: The mayor's bulldog, Winston, uncovers the two bodies in the flower beds.
- Faint in Shock: Marilee passes out upon being told that Mr. Penroy, her alleged husband, has been killed.
- I Never Said It Was Poison: Marilee, in conversation with Jessica, lets on that she knows about Penroy's collection of baggage claim checks when Jessica had only said "checks."
- Mondegreen Gag: A plot point; the Appletree sisters say they heard the intruder cry out "holy —" before he died. It turns out that he actually said, "Oh, Lee!" — his wife and murderer.
- Motor Mouth: Dr. Hazlitt snarks about how much Adelle, Sheriff Metzger's wife, tends to talk.
- Put on a Bus: Early on, Dr. Hazlitt and Jessica discuss Sheriff Tupper having retired to Kentucky.
- Red Herring:
- Initially, it seems as though the Appletree sisters killed Mr. Penroy for his pension money. In reality, he died of a heart attack and their only crimes were covering up his death and cashing a check.
- It appears that Ole killed Cliff, given the exclamation he made before he died. Actually, Ole didn't have the nerve to go near the Appletree sisters' house and Cliff died at the hands of his wife.
- Saying Too Much: Lillian keeps letting incriminating information slip, like telling Sheriff Metzger that "Reverend Smythe" wasn't a minister or that a body wouldn't have any fingerprints because her sister wore gloves.
- Shout-Out: While the plot differs later on, the early scene of the Appletree sisters disposing of Mr. Penroy's body while generally ignoring the seriousness of the situation echoes Arsenic and Old Lace.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Lillian keeps saying suspiciously specific things, like that Reverend Smythe didn't come calling at the house after the party. It doesn't help Jessica's efforts to clear their names.
- Woman Scorned: Marilee murdered Cliff because he tried to run out on her after coming into the money.
