Mary Bubnik may be the clumsiest ballerina at the Deerfield Academy of Dance, but she loves the lessons and the camaraderie with her friends McGee, Zan, Gwen, and Rocky. In this fourth installment of the series, Mary's mom is struggling with money problems, and Mary may have to quit ballet. What will the gang do without her?Fortunately, Zan reads about a contest with a cash prize that she's sure the girls can win. All they have to do is solve a real-life mystery in their town. They find one sooner than they planned: someone has been stealing from the academy's dressing room. When the snooty Bunheads accuse poor Mary Bubnik, the gang goes to work to find the real thief and restore Mary's reputation.