Sylvia Wilcox is in desperate need of a break from reality, but when Madalyn Price, a colleague and friend, invites her on a work-free vacation, Sylvia is skeptical. Can two workaholics truly set business aside for a leisurely trip? Eventually, Sylvia agrees to the vacation and invites Brady Kepler. She closes up her private investigation agency for the holidays and heads to New Orleans.

Initially, the vacation is relaxing and fun. Sylvia and her friends visit popular tourist haunts and indulge in the local cuisine. The trip feels like what Sylvia needs, but when her New Year's Eve celebration is interrupted by a frantic call from a local jail, the vacation takes a deadly turn.