For private eye Rich Weed, the smart thing to do would’ve been to say no. No to the heart-stoppingly beautiful woman who sauntered through the front door. No to the case that smelled fishier than a Venusian squid farm. No to the thief who left behind more than he made off with. But no one’s ever accused Rich of taking the easy path in life—or the smart one.

Now Rich is stuck in the thick of it, bouncing between clues as he tries to unravel a bizarre case of religious brainwashing—one that leads him from the mandibles of waffle-loving aliens to the unwashed hands of half-baked hippies and back. As the mystery thickens, only one thing is clear: as lovely as the client was, he really should’ve told her no.