Elliott Lisbon blends her directorship of the Ballantyne Foundation with her PI-in-Training status by planning parties and performing discreet inquiries for charitable patrons. But when the annual Wonderland Tea Party makes everyone go mad as a hatter, Elli gets pulled into a shooting, a swindle, and the hunt for a Faberge egg.

From seedy pawn parlors to creepy antique shops, Sea Pine Island's other half prove to be as wacky as the wealthy. As Elli falls farther down the rabbit hole, she finds a scheming salesman, a possessive paramour, a dead donor — in fact, the only thing missing is a bottle labeled "Drink Me." As events evolve from curious to crazy, Elli gets lost in the maze and finds herself trapped in a house of cards with a killer.