While She Slumbered

Can Katy McKenna Outsmart a Cranky, Cozy Mystery Writer?

With her boyfriend in Los Angeles, nursing his dying ex, a heartbroken Katy finds comfort in blogging her woes and visiting her elderly neighbor, Nina. One day, Nina mentions that her niece, Donna, a mystery writer, will be staying for a few days.

"I'm looking forward to her visit. I haven't seen her in years and have always thought of her as a daughter," Nina said optimistically.

But after just two days, Nina is ready to pull the plug on the visit. "This visit can't end soon enough," she whispered to Katy. Apparently, even a mystery writer's skills can't mask overbearing behavior.

A few days later, when Katy drops by to visit, she's greeted by Donna, the surly sixty-something author, who forbids her from seeing Nina. The excuse? Nina has a cold, is napping, and cannot be disturbed-a classic mystery novel villain move.

After multiple failed attempts to see her friend, Katy's imagination kicks into high gear. Is Nina really sick, or is Donna auditioning for a real-life murder mystery? Now, Katy's determined to get past the grumpy gatekeeper and save her friend.

Is she just being paranoid, or is Donna plotting something more sinister than bad dialogue?

Only time (and some amateur sleuthing) will tell.