Jane Jeffry

To look at her, one would never think suburbanite homemaker Jane Jeffry would be interested in murder and mayhem. But given the corpses she's come across she's practically an expert on the subject. Which is why Jane's booking down to a nearby mystery writers' convention to mingle with the brightest lights of literary crime, and maybe drum up some interest in her own recently completed manuscript. But when a famous ego-squashing editor keels over at the speaker's podium, and a much-hated book-bashing journalist is himself bashed in the parking lot, it seems fairly certain that at least one real-life murderer is stalking the proceedings. Jane Jeffry is on the case, ready to snoop, eavesdrop, and gossip her way to a solution.

Murder's the thing in this new entry in the Agatha and Macavity award-winning series featuring single-mom sleuth Jane Jeffry. Jane's best friend, Shelley, and her husband buy a run-down theater, and donate it to the drama department of the local university. Shelley decides she'll try out new caterers for her husband's business on the theater's volunteers. She persuades Jane to come along to help judge. It's inevitable that they get to know the cast and crew of the breezy period mystery. But life soon imitates art and a cast member is found dead. Jane and Shelley, between tasty snacks, speculate about the crime and the cast. The police are convinced it was an accident. Jane and Shelley are sure it isn't, and the perp should pay the price.

Jill Churchill has delighted fans for years with her Jane Jeffry mysteries. Jane is finally getting married to longtime boyfriend Mel, who's convinced her and her best friend Shelley to take a self-defense class. But when two people in the class are murdered, all thoughts of learning karate are put on hold. And of course, there's still that pesky matter of a wedding to plan.