Then, Matt's girlfriend, Cat Miller, introduces him to Stacy Gaines, a longtime friend. Stacy was taking over the position Lane had held. Now, however, the existence of the committee is public, and someone is now stalking Stacy, too. When someone tries to break into Stacy's hotel room, Cat takes her in and has Matt escort her from the hotel. While they are having dinner, someone breaks into Stacy's rental car and her briefcase.

Stacy is adamant. She does not want to call the police. Frustrated, Matt decides to make sure all is well. During his tour of the neighborhood, he is attacked and kicked by a man wearing a mask. Now, he has to call the police. Can he find Lane's killer before murder strikes closer to home than it already has?

Murder by Deadline is fast-paced and action-packed. It gives a brief insight into the hectic world of television news, a world author Mel Taylor knows firsthand. The danger is constant, the clues sparse and the ending is unexpected. Pick up a copy and spend a cozy afternoon deep in a mystery.