Murder in Retirement — John Miles

Laura couldn't believe it. Well, yes she could: Why shouldn't she suddenly be told that an acting troupe was coming to Timberdale to perform a mystery play, one in which the residents of the retirement center would participate by playing detectives. Maude Thuringer was going to love it. She was collecting clues already and the show was still in the planning stages. In the meantime, Laura just had to take care of the details... When J. Turner Redwine and his group show up, Laura realizes that the details are the least of her worries: There's so much backbiting, jealousy, thievery, chicanery, and debauchery going on, it's a wonder the troupe ever has time to rehearse. Redwine is full of surprises, all of them nasty. But he does do one thing that makes the Timberdale residents a happy group: He announces that he's retitled his play, and one of the actors is going to portray a newcomer to the center... and then wind up dead! What he doesn't know at the time is who is going to be the victim and that the body isn't just going to be a part of a play but of a murder most foul. Timberdale hasn't seen so much excitement in, well, oh so long, and Maude just loves having another real case to work on. Now, if they could only find that sweet Laura...