Writers of the Purple Sage Book

From 1994 comes this first entry by the late Barbara Burnett Smith. Jolie Wyatt is newly divorced from the scion of a local family, trying to raise a teenaged son, and aspiring to be a published writer (along with the others in her local writers group.) After she has a very public argument with a highly respected judge, he turns up dead, and everyone thinks Jolie is guilty. Seems that her latest attempt at a murder mystery contains the exact same method as that used to send off the judge! Only a few others were aware of this, but word gets around in a small town.
Smith's writing flows smoothly and her descriptions of characters and places are spot on. Conversations are natural, and the plot is unique. This book and the others in this series are definitely worth your time.