Life meets death when Detective Booger McClain gets gunned down trying to protect a client, which unexpectedly sends the private investigator into the afterworld. From the beyond, McClain gets help from a former teacher who is trying to show her student that life is always more than it seems. Desperate to return to his wife and partner Rose, McClain tries to rush through his heavenly lessons only to discover he can help his wife from the other side as she reconnects with her estranged sister.

A journey through Booger's past highlights how loved ones have shaped the Ozarks detective as Rose confronts her own personal history and struggles to uncover just who shot her husband and worked to kill their client. Those who have masked their identities in their pursuit of power stand to challenge the investigators like never before, even as the detectives come to terms with their own identities.

The Ties That Bind, the ninth book in the Booger McClain Ozarks Detective Series, is a family affair that underscores the importance of loved ones in a world where no one rests in peace.