{What's On Your Kindle?} Kate Damon on Jury Duty is Murder

 

The verdict is in; a famed athlete is headed for prison. The jurors have done their job and are free to go back to their lives. But after being sequestered for four months, life as some knew it no longer exists.

HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed by a careless driver. Exotic dancer, CEECEE LAINE, discovers that her boyfriend is two-timing her, and she no longer has a job. Actor ALEX MANNING learns his career is down the tubes, and 72-year-old, HELEN RYDER, discovers her family is plotting to put her in an old folks home.

Then things take a turn for the worse. When former jurors start dropping like flies, CeeCee, Helen, Harold and Alex are convinced there’s a killer on the loose. Now the feuding foursome must find him before he kills them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.

Book Information

Release Date: January 8, 2025

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Kindle eBook:  948 KB; $4.99 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jury-Duty-Murder-Kate-Damon-ebook/dp/B0D2282XN3

 

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy RVing, spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.

Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 40 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.

Not counting the book she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.

Website ➜http://margaret-brownley.com/

Twitter ➜https://www.x.com/katejuryduty

Facebook ➜https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBrownleyAuthor/ and https://www.facebook.com/p/Kate-Damon-61565155275435/

Instagram ➜https://www.instagram.com/katedamonbooks

BookBub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-damon

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4072660.Kate_Damon and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163681.Margaret_Brownley

 

 

Welcome, Kate! Your book, Jury Duty is Murder, sounds absolutely awesome. Can you tell us the story behind that intriguing title? 

Thank you for letting me visit today. I typically write historical romance novels under the name Margaret Brownley. However, this marks my first venture into the mystery genre. Each of my books begins with a central question, and for this particular story, I was intrigued by the mental and emotional well-being of jurors who are sequestered for extended periods. This led me to ponder how such experiences might impact their careers and personal relationships. Initially, I was uncertain about the direction of my story until unexpected developments began to unfold on my computer screen—specifically when bodies started appearing in the plot. It was at that moment that the title popped into my head.

Can you tell us a little about your main characters?

The four main characters are former jurors who couldn’t stand each other while sequestered and still can’t. Not only do they have to overcome the personal problems created by the trial, but they are also now forced to work together to find a killer before the killer finds them. 

Mindy, known as CeeCee, is an exotic dancer who lost her job because of the trial. The financial turmoil has forced her to indefinitely postpone her aspiration of opening her own spa.

Helen, referred to as Schoolmarm, is a 72-year-old woman grappling with the challenges of aging while her family considers placing her in an assisted living facility. This situation exacerbates her feelings of isolation and frustration.

Harold, nicknamed Shoe, encounters a string of misfortunes upon returning home from the trial. These difficulties compound his already precarious financial situation, as his hardware store is on the verge of bankruptcy. If this isn’t bad enough, he’s also coping with persistent marital problems.

Alex, a reporter and actor currently at a low point in his career, faces personal challenges while residing in a garage owned by an eccentric landlady.

None of the four are in a position to put their personal problems on hold to look for a killer, but they don’t have a choice.

Where is your book set and why did you choose that particular location?

The book is set in the fictitious town of Palm Valley, which is located in Ventura County, California.  This just happens to be where I live.

What part would you say was the most exciting to write about?

It was all fun to write but I especially enjoyed penning the scene where our four amateur detectives decide to do a stake-out.  Needless to say, things don’t go as planned.

What's next for you?

I was going to write another historical romance, but readers are clamoring for a book two of Jury Duty is Murder. So I haven’t made up my mind.  Stay tuned.