A fire that gutted Hillside Manor has left Judith McMonigle Flynn depressed, frustrated, and in need of a place to stay while the workers complete their extensive renovation. Luckily, cousin Renie has the solution: the Stillasnowamish Casino on Native American land, where Judith can forget her woes amidst the slots and dazzle, spend some quality vacation time with ex-cop husband Joe -- as well as with the battling moms, Gertrude and Aunt Deb -- and distract Renie herself from the deathly dull conference she's expected to attend. But all their gamboling and gambling come to an abrupt halt when the Reaper gets into the act.

The magic dies abruptly for The Great Mandolini when one of his attractive aides is discovered skewered on one of the master illusionist's props. Judith's Joe, who is recruited into the investigation by Tribal Police Detective Jack Jackrabbit, wants his snooping spouse and her cantankerous coz to steer clear for their own safety. But all bets are off when corpse number two materializes from among Mandolini's adoring entourage of oddball relatives, relatives' relatives, friends, lovers, and business associates.

Someone is causing murderous confusion that is no illusion, and it's going to take some serious sleight of hand by Judith and Renie to unravel this tangled rope trick -- or, if the cousins aren't careful, they could end up being the encore.