Blurb Blitz & Giveaway: The Tomato Jam Murder (Luscious Delights Mystery, #6) by Meg Benjamin

The Tomato Jam Murder

A Luscious Delights Mystery

by

Meg Benjamin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions. 

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Cozy mystery / Culinary-themed cozy mystery

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Publication Date: October 20, 2025

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SYNOPSIS:

Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.

It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro racecourse, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation. And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Kennedy leaned close, eyes bright with malice. It’s hard to loom over someone as tall as me, but he was giving it his best shot. “You don’t get it, do you? This is none of your business. You don’t even live here. And you sure as hell don’t have any right to be sticking your nose into a police investigation. If I find out you’re stirring things up around here, I’ll throw you in a cell so fast your head will be spinning when you hit the floor.”

I was pretty sure he couldn’t do that legally. On the other hand, if he threw me into one of his cells, it might take me quite a while to get out of it. Logic argued for caution. Still, I hate being pushed around by guys who don’t have any right to push me around.

“All I’ve done is pass along information I’ve heard to people who might be interested. So far as I know, that doesn’t break any laws.”

“You. Don’t. Live. Here.” Kennedy snarled. “Like I said, this is none of your business. Keep out of it and keep your mouth shut.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared at him, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get me into deeper trouble.

Kennedy straightened, his gaze still burning, then swept one arm across the surface of the counter, sending jars of jam flying in all directions. I glared at him, furious and horrified.

The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly. “Oops.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

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Review Tour & Giveaway: The Wine Jelly Murder (Luscious Delights Mystery, #5) by Meg Benjamin

THE WINE JELLY MURDER

A Luscious Delights Mystery

by

Meg Benjamin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions.

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Cozy Mystery

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Publication Date: September 1, 2025

Page count: 280 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

Roxy Constantine and Nate Robicheaux are into weddings, both for work and family. But when the obnoxious father of the bride is murdered at the engagement party, they find out more about his business than they bargained for.

Now someone wants to stop Roxy from investigating even as she pulls out all the stops on a super New Year’s Eve wedding celebration for her uncle.

She’ll need more than wine jelly favors and wedding cake to stop the killer.

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

As I stepped onto the landing, I heard something that sounded like a sob. “Did you hear that?”

 

“What?”

 

“That sound. It was over…” As I started across the landing toward the stairs, I heard another sob, much louder this time, coming from the stairs leading down to the lower floor. “Is anybody there?” I called.

 

“Roxy?” It sounded like Thalia, but a very different Thalia from the normal, terrifyingly efficient woman we’d been working with. I stepped quickly to the landing and peered toward the lower floor.

 

And saw Thalia Rosenberg leaning over Emerson Pollack, who lay spread-eagled on the concrete floor.

 

From where I stood, he looked very dead.

 

I ran down the steps. The stairwell was very dark although the light from above streamed down on Pollack’s body where it lay. Nate was at my heels.

 

Thalia knelt beside Pollack, her face the color of the snow still falling outside. “We need to call an ambulance,” she said. “He’s…hurt.”

 

Judging by the way Pollack was splayed on the floor, I didn’t think an ambulance would do much good. I put my hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Thalia. Step away from him now.”

 

Nate had climbed up the stairs and was now speaking urgently into his phone. I heard the words “accident” and “serious injuries,” which might well be true, as far as the “serious injuries” went. I was less certain about the “accident” part.

 

Thalia looked like she might faint or have hysterics, neither of which I wanted to deal with right then.

 

She leaned toward me, her brown eyes huge in her pale face. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “My God. He’s dead, isn’t he?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. 

Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

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REVIEW:

5 stars! 

A hurry-up wedding rushes Roxy and Nate into the midst of another murder.

The Wine Jelly Murder is the fifth book in author Meg Benjamin’s clever, cozy, and culinary-themed Luscious Delights Mystery series, and this time, a hurry-up wedding catering job puts Roxy and Nate at the scene of a murder once again. When the obnoxious father of the bride is found murdered after an engagement party and Madge Robicheaux’s friend, wedding planner extraordinaire Thalia Rosenberg, becomes the prime suspect in his death, Madge begs Roxy to work her investigative magic to find out who all had it in for Emerson Pollack and get her friend off the hook.

 

Roxy and Nate are a fun couple, slowly moving closer to a real commitment, and both are working their tails off to build their respective businesses. The upcoming holidays are critical to their success as catering opportunities abound and the demand for Roxy’s gourmet jams and jellies for gifting booms. I enjoyed how they consciously tried to spend additional time together, even if it meant working evening events or completing unplanned tasks to move the arrangements for Uncle Mike’s and Madge’s wedding to each other along to do so. 

As is usual for this series, there is a lot of discussion of delicious food and Roxy’s processes for inventing jams and jellies, all worked into the story between wedding preparations, catering events, community dinners, and amateur sleuthing. Roxy’s involvement garners results, though, with twists and turns along the way to keep readers guessing. I enjoyed the appearances of recurring characters and the variety of new ones, especially the awful father of the bride and his daughter, Jennifer. Although this is the fifth book in the series, each one can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. 

I recommend THE WINE JELLY MURDER to cozy mystery readers, especially those who are fans of culinary-themed stories.

*See my review of book one in the Luscious Delights Mystery series, The Pepper Peach Murder, HERE!

**See my review of book three in the Luscious Delights Mystery series, Tangerine Marmalade Murder, HERE!

 

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Book Review: Sick As a Dog (Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery, #3) by Tracy Carter

Sick as a Dog by Tracy Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This 'must-read' for dog lovers hits the ground running and never lets up!

Sick As a Dog is the third book in author Tracy Carter’s exciting dog-themed series, the Veronica Kildare K-9 Mysteries, featuring the energetic dog handler and trainer, her talented Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Leda, and a host of amazing service and support dogs. With an engaging group of recurring characters, their dogs, and several diverse, interwoven storylines, Veronica’s latest adventure is action-packed from page one as she and Leda complete the first of many search and rescue missions.

Veronica Kildare is a young 30-something with a tragic past, a summary of which the author skillfully weaves into the current action. Although this is the third book in the series, the concise retelling of how Veronica came to be in Colorado, the owner of a successful dog training business and well-appointed facility, will provide readers new to the series with an excellent foundation to enjoy this one as a standalone. Veronica continues to suffer the emotional and physical aftereffects of what occurred in Ohio, leading to her relocation to the Rocky Mountains, but she is slowly coming to terms with her past, altered future, and the reality that she needs to move on and live the rest of her life. Her dedication to helping find persons lost or in trouble in the surrounding Colorado mountains has, in turn, helped her as well.

As previously mentioned, the plot takes off quickly with Veronica and Leda on the trail of a missing rock climber and with little pause they are called upon to assist in a new concern involving the suspected illegal dumping of hazardous waste that appears to be impacting a local river and the water source for a large natural area as well as downstream agri-businesses. When Leda discovers the semi-nude body of a young woman in the same location and the park ranger who initially asked for assistance is critically injured in a single-car accident that was no accident, Veronica, her father, Leda, Officer Tim Donovan, and a local investigative reporter dig in to find answers and determine if these diverse events are related.

The descriptions of the natural areas Veronica and Leda search are vividly drawn, and you can almost hear the insects, birds, and other wildlife or breathe the fresh mountain air as you read. The detailed recounting of the search and rescue missions puts you on the scene and is a highlight of the book, as are the descriptions of the dogs’ training sessions and their often amusing and clever antics.

I recommend SICK AS A DOG and the entire Veronica Kildare K-9 Mystery series to mystery readers, especially those who love working dogs and canine family members.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.



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Review Tour & Giveaway: Tangerine Marmalade Murder (Luscious Delights Mystery, #3) by Meg Benjamin

TANGERINE MARMALADE MURDER

A Luscious Delights Mystery

by

Meg Benjamin

Cozy Mystery

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Publication Date: June 10, 2024

Page count: 250 pages

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SYNOPSIS:

When a stranger is murdered near Roxy Constantine’s farm, she’s sure it has nothing to do with her. But the investigation turns up surprising links to Roxy’s past. As if that weren’t enough, Roxy’s quarreling with her Significant Other, Nate Robicheaux, and facing a possible break-up. Just when the stress begins to ease, the murderer strikes again, sending Nate to the hospital. Now Roxy needs to figure out the link between the Constantine Farm and a blackmailer before she becomes the killer’s next target.

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READ AN EXCERPT:

We settled down at the dinner table for some general conversation about the Merchants Association, blueberry jam, and just how much snow we were likely to get from the latest storm, which was still stalled somewhere on the Western Slope. I’d just gotten up to see what ice cream I had in the freezer when someone hammered on my door. 

Herman whimpered, and Uncle Mike pushed himself up from the table. “What the hell?” 

I started for the door, where the hammering was still going on, but Uncle Mike grabbed my arm. “Let me open it. You hold onto Herman.” 

That was a good idea, since Herman had moved from whimpering to growling along with stalking toward the door as if he’d actually protect us. In fact, it was more likely we’d protect him, but I wouldn’t tell him that. 

Uncle Mike threw open the door. “What the hell…” he started, then paused. “Donnie?” 

I moved closer to the open door and saw Donnie McCray, Dolce’s dad and Uncle Mike’s foreman, standing on my doorstep. He’s a big man, but right then he looked like he was ready to collapse. “Come inside.” I grabbed his arm. “Sit down. What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” 

Donnie dropped onto my couch, gasping. “There’s a woman,” he began and then stopped to catch his breath. 

“What woman?” Uncle Mike said. “Where?” 

“Up by the road. In a car.” Donnie gasped again, and I dropped to my knees beside him. 

“What about her, Donnie? What’s wrong?” 

“She’s dead,” he blurted out. “She’s dead up there in the car.”

REVIEW:

5 stars!

A solid mystery when Roxy's forgotten past intrudes into her present. 

Tangerine Marmalade Murder is the third book in author Meg Benjamin's wonderful culinary-themed cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights, and a welcome return to the people and town of Shavano, Colorado. The well-developed and engaging characters really have come to life in this series, and each new book is like reuniting with old friends. While it is very comfortable and fun to catch up with everyone, this visit is fraught with mystery, murder, and a few bumps on the road to romance. 

Roxy Constantine is a great character, a level-headed and interesting young woman who experienced some sadness in her early life when her mother left her and her father behind to go her own way and the subsequent loss of her father when she was a teen. Thankfully, her Uncle Mike stepped in and gave her the home and love she deserved. When her mother's driver's license is found among the possessions of a stranger found murdered in a car on the side of their farm's road, Roxy must confront her feelings about the woman who gave her life but never knew and find out how this stranger did. Although she's pretty chill about her mom not being in her life at the start, I could understand her curiosity when faced with learning more about that side of her family after that time. In addition to this, Roxy and Nate are struggling as they try to navigate working together and having a personal relationship. 

The story begins with the discovery of the victim's body but backtracks in time to establish context. Readers only get a single scene with the victim alive, so while she doesn't have much time to make an impression, she effectively comes across as unpleasant and sly. The twist in the story may explain her sly demeanor when she shows up on Roxy's doorstep, though. The investigation into the murder is well done, and I was on board from the start, even while agonizing with Roxy over Nate's grumpiness. As always, the discussion of jams, flavors, and jam-making, as well as the dishes prepared for the catered events, were tempting and crave-inducing. I was surprised by the resolution of the story, though I'd had my suspicions. 

Although the third book in the series, readers new to Luscious Delights shouldn't have any trouble reading and enjoying this one independently. I recommend TANGERINE MARMALADE MURDER to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy culinary-themed stories.

*See my review of book one in the Luscious Delights Mystery series, The Pepper Peach Murder, HERE!

**See my review of book five in the Luscious Delights Mystery series, The Wine Jelly Murder, HERE!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Her new cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Soul Mate. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers. Meg can be reached via email at meg@megbenjamin.com.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Stiletto to the Pedal (Tow Truck Murder Mystery, #5) by Karen C. Whalen

 

Stiletto to the Pedal

The Tow Truck Murder Mysteries

by

Karen C. Whalen

Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting - Colorado
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Publication Date: May 15, 2024
Paperback page count: 250 pages
ISBN-10: 1509254536 / ISBN-13: 978-1509254538
Digital ASIN: B0CX5VMF77

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SYNOPSIS:

 

When the IRS claims Delaney Morran, the high-heeled tow truck driver and amateur sleuth, owes back taxes, she hires an accountant to fight Uncle Sam. Before Delaney can resolve the issue, a tax collector shows up in Spruce Ridge, Colorado demanding an amount Delaney can’t afford. It gets worse when Delaney’s accountant becomes the town’s next murder victim and Delaney’s tax records are locked inside the crime scene. The quickest way to get the Internal Revenue off her case is to catch the killer and get her files back, so she speeds around town questioning suspects while keeping one step ahead of the tax man.

Will Delaney be able to solve yet another murder and secure her records before the IRS shuts her down?

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REVIEW:

Coming soon!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen C. Whalen is the author of two mystery series for The Wild Rose Press, the Dinner Club Mysteries featuring Jane Marsh, an empty nester who hosts a gourmet dinner club, and the Tow Truck Mysteries starring Delaney Morran, a super feminine shoe-a-holic who drives a tow truck. Both are cozy mysteries about strong friendships and family ties set in Colorado.

The first book in the Dinner Club series tied for First Place in the Suspense Novel category of the 2017 IDA Contest sponsored by Oklahoma Romance Writers of America. In the Tow Truck series, Eyes on the Road was a Second Place winner of the 2023 Firebird Book Awards in the Cozy Mystery category. Whalen worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and was a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine.

Whalen loves to host dinner parties, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, walk on the beach, and read cozy murder mysteries.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Sprites and Scuttlebutt (Magical Mystery Book Club, #6) by Elizabeth Pantley

 

Sprites and Scuttlebutt

Magical Mystery Book Club

by

Elizabeth Pantley

Paranormal Cozy Mystery

6th in Series
Independently Published
Publication Date: February 15, 2024
Print length: 289 pages
ASIN: B0CJ5K611Z

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SYNOPSIS:

 

Would you join a book club that gets absorbed right into their cozy mysteries? These people did, and now they are hooked on traveling into books to become the amateur sleuths!

In this journey, the book club travels to the Kingdom of Everglow, where the royal family is rocked to the core when a key staff member falls dead at a community event. In the turmoil that follows, any evidence of what happened is destroyed, so they must go by the recollection of witnesses who were too busy enjoying the celebration to offer any valuable testimony. The royal family is further distressed when they return to the castle to see signs of a break in that somehow defied their complex security system. They wake the next day to discover that one member of the royal family has fallen into a deep, deathlike sleep.

Can the Snapdragon Inn Book Club uncover the plot behind this attack on the royal family? Can they find the antidote to wake the princess from her supernatural slumber? Can they bring peace back to the worried royal family and the frightened community? Let’s hope they can, since they must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book and back to their home in Colorado.

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REVIEW:

5 stars!

Fun and unique adventure for the cozy mystery book club sleuths when they find themselves in the Sprite Kingdom of Everglow. 

I was so glad to see that there was a new addition to author Elizabeth Pantley’s paranormal cozy mystery series featuring the Magical Mystery Book Club. I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of the previous books, and I was not disappointed in the least. Sprites and Scuttlebutt is the sixth adventure for the book club members, and they are faced with not only a murder but a mysterious sleeping disorder that has affected a member of the Queen’s household. 

While told from the club leader Paige Erickson’s point of view, the stories are always an ensemble story, and this book maintains this excellent style. However, this time around, Frank, the enigmatic and oft-times sarcastic library cat, takes on a featured role, and readers are finally let in on some of the details of his mysterious past. 

The Everglow setting is vivid, colorful, and populated by paranormal creatures, sprites, with a ruling family led by the split personalitied Queen Iris. The author’s rich and detailed descriptions of the sprites and their world made this setting come alive. 

The mystery involves both a murder and a sudden affliction that makes a member of the Queen’s family fall asleep and unable to be awakened, and the book club members must struggle with whether these two things are related or separate. There are many suspects with possible motives or access to the means to have committed these deeds, so there are lots of red herrings for the characters and armchair sleuths to consider. The clues are present to point the way to the final resolution if one is paying attention. 

The book club members remained much more aware of their chosen book’s author’s role in crafting their adventure in this story. There were discussions of the different routes an author can take in developing their plot, including cozy mystery tropes and common story structure, which I found quite enlightening. I enjoyed this latest adventure and continue to look forward to more. 

I recommend SPRITES AND SCUTTLEBUTT to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a touch of paranormal in their stories and fans of the previous books in the series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth Pantley is the author of fourteen fun, magical cozy mystery books, as well as the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting series.

She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books. 

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Rain Dance (Rain Mystery Trilogy, #2) by David Homick

Rain Dance by David Homick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The second of the RAIN MYSTERY TRILOGY, RAIN DANCE is another stellar mystery from the pen of author David Homick.

After solving the mysteries of his missing younger brother and his father’s murder, Dillon Bishop and his mother left Bradley, Texas, in their rearview mirror for the Red Valley Ranch in Redfield, Colorado. The ranch is home to the woman Dillon thinks may be “the one,” Jenn Myles, and for him, home is where the heart is.

Their arrival surprised and pleased Jenn, but Dillon also had a shock waiting. The young boy he’d saved from the rubble of an Afghani village was there. Jenn had gotten close to the child while overseas and had gotten him into the country. She was in the middle of arrangements to adopt Alex. But that wasn’t all. Jenn had inherited the ranch equally with her cousin, Seth McDonald, and Seth made it clear he thought Dillon, his mother, and Alex didn’t belong there.

Not to be run off from the woman he loved, Dillon pitched in on the ranch, ready to do whatever it took to fit in. But as the days passed, little things about Uncle Roy’s final days and death failed to add up. And when secret deals that Seth made behind Jenn’s back with a large, commercial marijuana-growing conglomerate come to light, something Roy had wanted nothing to do with, Dillon starts to dig into the truth behind Roy’s death. It becomes immediately apparent that someone doesn’t like it.

Rain Dance is the second book in author David Homick’s exciting Rain Mystery Trilogy, and it is another riveting page-turner of a story. This go-round, Dillon Bishop and Jenn Myles investigate the final days before her Uncle Roy’s death and have a number of possible culprits for a murder that’s been covered up as natural causes. Each of the suspects muddy the waters of truth by adamantly pointing the finger at one of the other candidates.

Dillon is still showing signs of recovery from the PTSD that had plagued him since Afghanistan: Colorado had been good for him in addition to the Rain Dance tea provided by the shaman, Leota, in book one. His apprehension about becoming a father (adoptive) and formalizing his relationship with Jenn was thoughtful and understandable, and I liked that he was working on both. On the other hand, Jenn has some secrets yet to explain, and I will anxiously await the final book in the trilogy for the resolutions to those.

This author’s writing style continues to hit all the right notes. The dialogue throughout and Dillon’s inner voice is perfect. The plot is intriguing, as Dillon and his pal, Cooper Hill, follow the money and outsmart the bad guys. It was a very clever and well-thought-out investigation.

Readers are introduced to Dillon’s new stomping grounds of Redfield, Colorado, and the small town brings with it some fresh new supporting characters. Hattie Scott is a quirky and lovable throw-back to the 60s, as is Charlie “Buck” Owens. I was midway through the story before the penny dropped and on his nickname. (But of course, that’s what it would be!) I hope both returns in the next book. Alex is a wonderful addition to the family that is forming, and I really liked his storyline. With the inclusion of Alex, the horse rescue setting, and Dillon’s inner monologue, I am somewhat reminded of David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series, only grittier and more serious.

With its compelling plot, engaging characters, and bold-as-brass tactics of the bad guys, I was thoroughly absorbed into another stellar mystery by David Homick. I recommend RAIN DANCE to mystery readers who enjoy a solid plot with an intelligent investigation or a Colorado setting that makes you feel like you’re right next to the characters.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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