Jesse Stone is a former L.A. homicide detective who left behind the big city and an ex-wife to become the police chief of the quiet New England fishing town of Paradise. Stone’s old habits die hard as he continues to indulge his two favorite things–scotch and women. When a series of murders takes place and a high school girl is raped, he’s forced to face his own demons in order to solve the crimes. And, since these are the first murders to occur in Paradise, Jesse must also train his inexperienced staff of police officers to assist in the investigation to find the killers and the rapist before they can strike again.

Aged, embittered widower, Fred learns to enjoy life thanks to his elderly yet vibrant neighbor, Elsa. Upon learning Elsa is terminally ill, Fred takes her to the Fontana di Trevi in Rome in order to reenact her favorite scene from ‘La Dolce Vita’.

Ike Graham, New York columnist, writes his text always at the last minute. This time, a drunken man in his favourite bar tells Ike about Maggie Carpenter, a woman who always flees from her grooms in the last possible moment. Ike, who does not have the best opinion about females anyway, writes an offensive column without researching the subject thoroughly.