Margaret Henze O'Brian lives in a small Iowa town in a big old house with her cat Ruby. She considers herself half German and half Conehead. German because that's her heritage, and Conehead because of her mass consumption of calories.
The Fit Girls, Margaret's diet support group, think her recent weight gain is the result of depression, over her husband's death, but Margaret says they're wrong, she's fine, "just fine, thank you."
Margaret has more than her diet to think of when she stumbles over a body, and a friend is accused of murder. In trying to clear her friend of the crime, Margaret finds she has more on her plate than rice cakes.
Not wanting to be left out of the excitement, the Fit Girls join Margaret in her attempt to solve the crime, and are soon knee deep in small town scandal, gossip and mystery.
Creeping through corn fields, window peeking, and tailing suspects may be more than the average reader of Modern Maturity magazine deeps proper, but Margaret finds it exhilarating. And when two handsome men seem interested in her ample body life is suddenly fascinating.
Now, if only Margaret can stay alive long enough to enjoy this new lease on life.