Murder can make you sad and cranky and leave you laughing inappropriately.

Small town life gets hilariously complicated for Sam and his family when an unexpected windfall leads to murder, mystery, and irritable ghosts.

Patton Colorado: home to a snarky bunch of seventh-graders, a decades-old secret, and murderous deception.

When twelve-year-old Sam accidentally stumbles into the thick of things with the help of his friends, his mom who drinks a little too much and writes cliché mommy porn ("Oh Javier, I lust for your girthy sexcaliber!!"), a ragtag group of ex-Army guys, and a baby brother who can't stay off the roof, a sixty-year-old whodunit comes to light. Before long, unexpected plot twists and bungling ghost hunters lead to a startling and satisfying conclusion.