A Hollywood movie is shooting in Paradise, Massachusetts. But for its leading starlet, Marisol Hinton, Paradise feels more like perdition. Terrorized by her meth-addicted ex, and increasingly frightened for her life, she has approached Police Chief Jesse Stone for help. Jesse already has his hands full - waging a war against a teenager whose reckless behaviour is endangering the local community, and juggling a series of complaints from Paradise citizens, aggrieved at being charged exorbitantly high fees by the town's water company. Never one to back down from a fight, Jesse throws himself into all three cases with his characteristic vigour. But what he doesn't realize is that those appearing the least dangerous will prove to be the most deadly.