Not a lot can ruin the serenity of the lazy, hazy August rhythms of Collection County, North Carolina. Judge Deborah Knott, once again running for election, can count on a round of pleasant softball games, barbecues, and church picnics. But now a hurricane named Fran is gearing up offshore and it looks like the eye of the storm could blow straight through the county. Even worse, the local, scandalous murder of a prominent lawyer's promiscuous wife has shaken up the entire community. As the storm picks up speed, the county gears up with batteries and bottled water -- and a determined killer finds a perfect time to strike again.