Bought from the Los Osos Library book sale today.

I did not recognize the title, but when I started reading this I knew I had read it before (another copy). Still, I went ahead and read it again.

Dismas Hardy is hired as a precaution when Maya Townshend, owner of the Bay Beans West coffee shop in the Haight-Ashbury district, is questioned about the murder of the manager of her store. She does start to look like she's hiding something rather early. Why was she paying the dead guy, Dylan Vogler, 90K a year? What was their relationship really? Why did she go to the shop early the morning he was shot?

Dismas hires a private detective firm to investigate Maya's past. She isn't being forthcoming and she acts like she's guilty, and he thinks there is something from years ago that is the real issue. She admits she knew Vogler in college, in her wilder years.

Complicating the picture is that Vogler had a backpack filled with weed when he was killed. Police inspectors quickly discover quite a marijuana farm in his attic. Did the drugs have anything to do with his death? While selling weed would not cause a big ruckus to the SF cops, it might interest federal agents, reasons one of the investigators. Perhaps by pulling some strings that way, Maya could be encouraged to reveal more than she has.

Maya is the wife of a prominent realtor and has no need of any additional wealth. She is also related to the mayor. Will the mayor's influence make things worse or better? Will there even be any influence?

Clearly a story made for the media, so Hardy is especially interested in what Maya may be hiding. Did she kill Vogler? If so, for what reason?

Decently paced, well-written legal thriller. Much of the story is hammered out in the courtroom, Perry Mason style.

On the bookshelf in the lobby.