Stolen gems. shady cops. Murders that could lead to an international incident. Orwell Brennan, chief of the Dockerty police force in small–town Ontario, had enough problems on his hands with the mayoral election, a daughter engaged, and, perhaps worst of all, someone in the department stealing his favourite cookies.

Things are complicated for the loveable curmudgeon: a police officer from Toronto, in Dockerty as part of a Metro murder investigation, is killed in his hotel room. And the eccentric local dance teacher, a former Russian ballet star, has some very dark secrets, unsavoury associates in her past, and a slippery way with the truth. But Brennan finds help in one of his bright young officers, who teams up with the dead cop’s brash ex–partner. Together the two women uncover a ring of shady pawnbrokers, crooked public figures, and Russian thugs all after one thing — the Sacred Ember, a very rare ruby once owned by the Tsarina herself.