Sheriff Wyatt Stone has a holiday murder on his hands. Someone has killed Wallace Dunn, the owner of the hardware store, and resident Santa. How will he tell his autistic cousin, Deputy Derrick Stone, that someone stabbed Santa under a Christmas tree? As Wyatt and Derrick search for a killer, Wyatt's life is complicated when his brother returns to Stoneybrook. But he faces his biggest challenge when Harley is abducted from the Rocky River Bar on Christmas Eve.

Harley Harper wants her first Christmas with Wyatt to be a festive event. And she's looking forward to her best friend's arrival from New York for the holidays. While Harley and Busy catch up, guests for Harley's Christmas party begin to arrive. When a few friends, including Wyatt, are no shows, worry snakes through Harley's gut. But then she learns a more pressing concern is keeping Derrick calm until Wyatt can break the horrible news about Santa's demise.