Todo el mundo en Athena, Misisipi, conoce a Charlie Harris, el amable bibliotecario dueño de un gato llamado Diesel al que pasea con correa. Ha regresado a su ciudad natal para sumergirse en los libros, pero pronto la vida real lo envuelve en una novela de misterio... Godfrey Priest, famoso, arrogante y manipulador autor de bestsellers gore y antiguo compañero de clase de Charlie, aparece muerto. A pesar de los resentimientos Charlie, con la ayuda de Diesel, deciden resolver el misterio de la muerte del desagradable novelista a quien no le faltan enemigos. Everyone in Athena, Mississippi knows Charlie Harris -- the kind librarian who walks his cat on a leash. He has returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but soon real life engulfs him in a mystery novel. Godfrey Priest, a famous, arrogant, and manipulative bestselling author who also happens to be one of Charlie's former classmates, is found dead. Despite Charlie's hard feelings and with the help of his cat, they decide to solve the mystery of the death of the novelist who has no shortage of enemies.