In 1957, the town of Honeyspoon is ill prepared for a murder mystery. In fact, most of the townspeople have never experienced a violent death until a shocking murder in the small town sets everyone on edge. Mrs. Nancy Peabody is a widow of very limited means. Her life is drab and lonely so she can’t avoid the temptation offered by the party line she shares with two of her neighbors. When someone calls the line, it rings once, twice, or three times to designate which household the call is for, but anyone on the party line can pick up and listen to any of the calls and Mrs. Peabody can’t resist picking up on every call.

Unfortunately, listening in on her neighbors’ calls is tricky. If you don’t pick up just right, the other parties can hear a click and they know someone is listening and of course any background noise is a dead give-a-way. Since Mrs. Peabody’s technique wasn’t always perfect, her reputation as a snoop and busy body was common knowledge. That reputation is dangerous as she begins to stick her nose into other people's business. The authorities don't take her seriously, but the murderer does and as the body count starts to rise, Mrs. Peabody and her little dog become the killer’s next target.