The Elevator Enigma

When a sabotaged elevator traps residents between floors, a hip replacement can't slow down amateur sleuth Violet Hartwell—because at Sunset Manor, retirement means trading bingo for breaking cases. At seventy-eight, Violet Hartwell thought she'd left danger behind. But when the retirement home elevator fails with three people trapped inside—including their newest resident, a retired police detective—and maintenance chief Carl Rodriguez is found unconscious at the bottom of the shaft, Violet and her unconventional team of elderly investigators spring into action. There's Frank Morrison, whose hearing aids whistle as loudly as his conspiracy theories as he navigates "The Interceptor," his beloved mobility scooter. Agnes Pemberton documents every clue for her investigative newsletter. And now Detective Ray Cromwell brings professional expertise that might either enhance their amateur methods—or expose their limitations. What begins as equipment failure quickly reveals a web of theft, desperation, and escalating violence. Missing maintenance supplies, suspicious eBay listings, and a fleeing suspect point to crimes that go beyond simple sabotage. But when their tenth solved case attracts media attention and insurance investigators, the Sunset Manor Detective Agency discovers their reputation has consequences. Enter Eleanor Vanderberg, a new resident with dangerous secrets and fifty million reasons why criminals want her silenced. Suddenly, Frank's loud interrogations and Agnes's gossip networks must contend with federal agents, witness protection, and threats that don't respect retirement home boundaries. Can a team of determined seniors armed with walking sticks, notebooks, and unshakeable persistence protect one of their own—and prove that age is just a number when justice is on the line?