Despite Lana’s protests, Betty Lee signs her daughter up to attend a restaurant convention being held in sunny Irvine, California. To make matters worse, her sister, Anna May, invites herself along to escape the dating woes of her new relationship. Lana is apprehensive about the whole trip, including the “quality time” with her older sister, but she resolves to make the best of it, hoping the getaway from daily restaurant life will do her some good.

Luckily, Irvine is the home to their mother’s very Americanized sister, Grace Richardson, and sisters happily agree to stay in her posh rental on the exclusive Balboa Island when the offer is extended. As the trip begins, it seems to be just what they both needed and despite the fact that Lana is stuck attending the restaurant convention every day, it proves to be worthwhile and entertaining. Especially when she witnesses a dramatic cat fight between a fortune cookie vendor and a journalist who’s covering the convention.

Lana and Anna May can’t imagine things getting any better until they learn their aunt has yet another surprise in store for them—a swanky cocktail party hosted for the freelancers of Southern California at the newly renovated, historical Hotel Laguna. But on the night of the party, things go south when a close journalist friend of Grace’s mysteriously plunges from the roof top of the hotel. Even more suspicious is the fact that Aunt Grace’s friend is the same journalist Lana saw getting into a screaming match with the fortune cookie vendor at the convention.

The police rule the death a gruesome accident, but Aunt Grace refuses to accept that explanation and begs Lana for her help uncovering the truth. Lana, Anna May, and Aunt Grace attempt to keep up appearances as they search for answers, but unwanted attention from suspicious colleagues and convention attendees start to surface, causing Lana to wonder if they’ll find the killer in time…or if they’ll be the next ones pushed over the edge.