Laura wishes her first days in Pearl Bay could be as idylic as the scenery. As the kids struggle to survive with no television and Laura's cooking, a lunch invitation to the Jelly house seems like a welcome distraction. But Bob Jelly's motive is soon evident. Over Heather Jelly's fastidiously prepared lunch, Bob is sure to let Laura know how much power he has over the townsfolk, including her predecessor, renowned drunk Harold Fitzwalter. It is Harold's botched revenge plot against Bob that surfaces as Laura's first case. As Laura struggles with the ethical implications of the trial, her court clerk seems more interested in the surf report. The police prosecutor, Karen is no help either, busy planning her fantasy wedding to Angus. The only thing distracting Laura from her professional crisis is the alluring Diver Dan, a handsome renaissance man who represents everything she is not - a relaxed, scruffy person who can cook
