How could a thirty-something man fall to his death from a fourth-floor balcony he knows is
defective? That's the question freelance writer Micki Demetrius is asked to answer by the
man's grieving mother, Clarissa White, who refuses to believe his death was an unfortunate
accident. But when the authorities determine it was homicide, Micki is shut out of her
investigative efforts.
Giving up is easier said than done for Micki. She can't resist a mystery, and suspicious
characters won't leave Clarissa alone, from the woman claiming a stake in the victim's life to a
cagey character who wants his business. As the threat to Clarissa grows, Micki feels compelled
to help her in spite of the danger.
Micki's three mah jongg pals—Sydney, Marianne and Kat—are drawn into the mystery, but the
retirees have their own challenges. Syd and husband Trip do grandparent duty while their
daughter deals with marital issues. Marianne "finds herself" by writing a one-act play. And Kat
must decide how public to go with her growing friendship with the sheriff. Together, they must
connect the dots in a nefarious web of greed, neglect, secrecy and murder.
