JURY DUTY IS MURDER

This novel take place in the aftermath of a high-profile trial, as 72-year-old retired teacher Helen Ryder (known to the other jurors as “Schoolmarm”) and other jurors reconnect after a series of suspicious deaths among their peers. Two months before, they voted to convict basketball player Roger “Buck” Dempsey for the murder of his wife, and now it appears that someone is exacting revenge. Helen, hardware store owner Harold Ashman (nicknamed “Shoe”), actor and science fiction writer Alex Manning (known as “Reporter”), and the lively exotic dancer Mindy Laine (aka “CeeCee”) investigate, which leads them into a web of deceit and danger. The novel does a great job of blending suspense with character-driven drama, as each juror brings their own personalities and emotion baggage to the proceedings. As they try to make sense of the unexplained deaths, difficulties arise—not just in the investigation, but also in their personal lives; for example, Helen’s family is threatening to place her in an elderly care home. Damon, who also writes bestselling novels as Margaret Brownley, manages to balance an entertaining whodunit with insights into the diverse worlds of the jurors, whose lives have been drastically changed by their shared experience. The pacing is tight, with each chapter revealing just enough to keep readers hooked. The dialogue, especially between Harold and Helen (“Helen shot a daggered look in Harold’s direction. ‘You actually listened to something I said? That’s a first’”), adds lighter moments to an otherwise tense narrative. Overall, this twisty novel offers a unique mix of courtroom drama and post-trial mystery, while its subtle romance elements make it feel well-rounded.