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.