Much Ado in Maggody — Joan Hess

RAISIN'' HELL, GOIN' TO THE DEVIL--AND MURDER

There's trouble in Maggody Arkansas, again, and Chief of Police Arly Hanks has her hands full. The trouble's name is Brandon Bernswallow, the local bank president's playboy son, who became the new head teller and bumped long-time employee Johnna Mae Nookim right down to minimum wage. The fighting-mad women of Maggody are over in Ruby Bee's Bar and Grill planning a sex discrimination protest and a scheme to give the male chauvinists their comeuppance. But they are just as appalled as the men folk when the bank--and Bernswallow--go up in flames. Preacher Verber is sure it's the devil's handiwork. Mayor Jim Bob blames the Commies. But Arly is determined to sift through the ashes ... and discover who cooked up this case of downhome murder.