Liz Eckardt is busy juggling the demands of her colorful guests at the Old Mansion Inn in the delightful town of Pleasant Creek, Indiana, when she is summoned to jury duty. Expecting it to be a quiet respite from the hectic pace at the inn, Liz prepares to escape into a good mystery novel. But the waiting room is far from quiet. Fellow juror Nora Wexler is loud, rude, and spends her free time insulting people and complaining about her ex-husband. After the case is settled, Liz waits at the elevator. The door opens and Nora collapses in front of her struggling to breathe. She points at Liz and whispers, "She tried to kill me."