Deadly Drama — Jody Holford

Newspaper editor and amateur sleuth Molly Owens takes center stage when it's curtains for a theater director . . .

Living in the beautiful coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon, seems like the perfect fit for Molly. She enjoys her work as editor-in-chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin, loves her boyfriend Sam, and feels at home in the adorable cottage in the back of his mother's bed and breakfast.

This spring Britton Bay is staging its first-ever community theater production. The show -- featuring local residents -- is the talk of the town, but tongues are really wagging over the director. It turns out former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet is anything but; nothing's worse than a has-been on a power trip, and steely Magnolia routinely chews out her amateur cast.

Still, it's a shock to all when she's found murdered in the theater. Now it's open call for suspects, as Molly steps in to shine a spotlight on a killer waiting in the wings. But will this be her final act?