Ellie is looking forward to finally enjoying her unexpected vacation in Florida: strolling on the white sand beaches, lounging in luxurious cabanas, and swimming in the sparkling waters of the Gulf... But she's barely sipped her first mojito before she finds herself sucked into another mystery! This time, Ellie is on the trail of a clever murderer who uses a deadly tiki cocktail to kill and her search for clues takes her aboard a luxury yacht, fishing in Tampa Bay, and even up close and personal with one of the Sunshine State's most famous residents: the American alligator!

Ellie is horrified when her newfound friend - headwaiter Sol - is named the key suspect and she's determined to prove his innocence.But it's not just the murder that's troubling her: there's also her budding romance with handsome resort doctor Blake Thornton and his strange behavior on the night of the murder. Is he cheating on her? Or is it something more sinister? With her eccentric Aunt Olive giving her sleuthing tips and the two resort animals lending a beak and a paw, Ellie is sure she can crack the case. But if she turns out to be wrong, she might find out what "swimming with the fishes" really means....