Introduction

A cozy murder mystery set in San Francisco and along the rugged California coast, the Fog Ladies are spunky elderly amateur sleuths plus one overtired, overstressed, and newly suspicious young doctor living together in an elegant apartment building. When a family man kills his wife, the Fog Ladies set out to discover the truth. Their probing finds the threat is perilously close to home, endangering another troubled family struggling to survive. Dealing with grieving and loss, parenting as a grandparent, cricked toes, and hearing loss with deference and humor, the Fog Ladies find that marriage can be deadly. FROM THE AUTHOR (Susan): " I have done several virtual book clubs and we have all had a great deal of fun. I would be very happy and honored to visit yours." You can email her at [email protected]

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Excerpt

“And their daughter’s name was Julia?” Sarah said.

“Yes, Julia. She and I spent a summer volunteering with the juvenile offenders. If this is their daughter, then she is as proper and upstanding as her parents. She must be beside herself.”

“Because her son’s been accused of murder?” Sarah asked.

“Or because he is a murderer.” Mrs. Noonan lowered her voice, though no one else was present.

“What? I met him, I saw how he was with his boy, how much he loved his wife. He couldn’t be a murderer!”

“Murderers might not be murderers until something sets them off. Crimes of passion.”

Sarah’s stomach tightened, remembering the man’s pleading voice.

“I don’t want Enid to think I agree with her,” Mrs. Noonan continued, “and I know you met the man and I defer to your judgment, but my husband always said that if there is a domestic crime, the spouse did it.”

“Oh, Mrs. Noonan, how can you say that? What a stereotype!”

“I know, I know, that’s exactly what I’d say to Bill. But time after time it turned out to be true. If you were placing odds, you’d put your money on the spouse.”

“Wagering is a sin.”

Sarah jumped. Harriet Flynn and Olivia Honeycut stood just inside the lobby.

“Mrs. Flynn! You startled me! How long have you been there?” Sarah said.

“Long enough to know you’re talking about that murderer again. Of course the husband did it. One million dollars. Money is the root of all evil.”

The elevator door opened, and Enid Carmichael dashed out, pulled by her Bichon Frise, Snowball. The dog was tiny but strong, and Mrs. Carmichael flew across the lobby like a kite behind the leash.

The small dog saw the cat tucked under the table and u-turned toward him. Mrs. Carmichael came to a halt within inches of Mrs. Noonan, who swept Camouflage into her arms.

The scene was so typical that no one commented. Only Sarah seemed flustered by these near misses. Her heart pounded, but Mrs. Noonan exuded calm, as always, standing still and petting the cat under the chin.

Enid Carmichael nodded to the others, then her eyes lighted on the story in the paper.

“Any news on your killer?” Mrs. Carmichael asked.

“Innocent until proven guilty.” Frances Noonan winked at Sarah.

“Lambs are innocent. This man is not,” said Harriet Flynn. “It’s the breakup of the family, no family values, no respect. What’s society coming to?”

Sarah couldn’t stand it any longer, this flippant chitchat about another man’s life. She blurted out, “Mrs. Noonan knows his family! They’re good people! With values!”

The women turned to Mrs. Noonan, and Sarah was relieved to see her thoughtful expression as she stroked Camouflage’s fur. Finally, she addressed them. “Ladies, Sarah’s right. I know this man’s mother and his grandparents. They are as honorable as they come. There may be more to this than money and passion—”

“And a dead-end job and a wife with a rising career,” said Mrs. Carmichael.

“Jealousy. A sin,” said Mrs. Flynn.

“And the loss of manhood manifest by his wife’s lack of respect and his unusual choice of exercise,” said Mrs. Honeycut.

“Vanity. A sin,” said Mrs. Flynn.

“Ladies, ladies, please,” said Mrs. Noonan. “This is not just some man we’re reading about in the newspaper. Sarah met him. She got a feeling about him. I know his family. I think we should offer our support. If nothing else, we can be a comfort to his mother. But there may be more to this killing than a desperate husband.”

“Oh, I hope so,” said Mrs. Carmichael gleefully. “When do we get to meet the killer?” view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

In THE FOG LADIES: FAMILY MATTERS, the killer’s mantra is, “People never change.” Is this true?

Do you know anyone like eighty-year-old Enid Carmichael? How would you deal with a friend like her?

Multiple characters in THE FOG LADIES: FAMILY MATTERS have lost a spouse, in particular Frances Noonan and Mr. Glenn. How does one deal with the death of a spouse of forty years?

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