Jason Pelski is an author of Sudoku puzzles for a local newspaper, and an amateur sleuth. His ex-wife, who has trouble with relationships, writes an 'advice to the lovelorn' column for the same newspaper. A local homicide detective, Spence Newton, is aware of Pelski's exceptional analytical skills and seeks his advice on a murder he's investigating. This is the start of an unusual friendship. Both men are egotistical, and the relationship quickly turns into a game of one-upmanship.