A String of Murders — Darlene Franklin

Blackmail turns deadly. . .



Cici Wilde's fiancé, Audie Howe, calls her with disturbing news. Her store's been broken into and worse, someone murdered the intruder. The victim clutches a string of pearls in one hand and a threatening e-mail in the other. It reads "I know what you're doing. Meet me at Cici's Vintage Clothing at 8:30 p.m. Saturday night."



With the discovery of the body, a recent spate of ugly e-mails throughout the Grace Gulch community becomes intensely personal. The murderer purposely lured the victim to Cici's store. Why? The answer lies in the strand of pearls, a gift from arts patron Magda Grace Mallory. She has loaned them to Audie, director of the MGM Theater, for use in the upcoming production of Arsenic and Old Lace.



Evidence points to members of the close theater community. Is it Gene Mallory, Magda's ne'er-do-well son? Lauren Packer, Magda's lawyer? Peppi Lambert, Grace Gulch newcomer and good friend of Cici's sister? Or Suzanne Jay, theater diva with a shady past? When a second murder is committed with the same string of pearls, Cici battles through baffling clues to find the killer before he strikes again.