Her father's death has rocked their small Colorado town
And she's convinced it's connected to a larger conspiracy…
The grisly death of a prominent rancher stuns a Colorado
community and plunges Deputy Chris Delray into a murder investigation. Willow
Russell, the victim's fiery daughter, is determined to help him catch the
killer. To keep her close -- and safe -- Chris agrees to work together to
discover her father's enemies. But when Willow becomes a target, Chris suspects
her conspiracy theory might be right -- and larger than they ever imagined...
Terrific book. The suspense started quickly with discovering
Sam Russell's body in an irrigation ditch. Deputy Chris Delray is in charge of
water rights enforcement, including the ditches, and is called in on the case. As
he checks out the crime scene, Sam's daughter Willow arrives, looking for her
dad. Her shock at his death is evident, as is her determination to bring
whoever is responsible to justice.
Though initially considered a possible suspect, it soon
becomes apparent to Chris that Willow is innocent. I loved seeing them team up
to find the killer. Though Sam was well-liked and respected, he did have a few
contentious run-ins with people. The question is, did any of those encounters
lead to murder? Then there was the question of who would benefit from Sam's
death? As far as Willow knows, she is Sam's only heir, and she didn't kill him.
She gets an unpleasant surprise when Sam's ex-wife and her son show up, claiming
to have a newer will leaving Emmett half the ranch. Complicating things even more,
Trey Allerton claims that with Sam's death, the land he's leasing drops to a
fee of one dollar per year. Finishing off the list is ranch hand Von King, a
surly ex-con who gives Willow the creeps. These people have the means and
motivation to kill Sam, and it's up to Chris and Willow to figure it out.
The developing relationship between Willow and Chris
blended well with the story's suspense. The more time they spent together
searching for clues, the closer they grew. I liked how Chris appreciated
Willow's intelligence and strength as she dealt with the complications caused
by Sam's death. Willow prides herself on that independence and also appreciates
Chris's protectiveness as strange things happen on the ranch. They also didn't
shy away from their growing attraction, which only emphasized their deepening
feelings for each other.
The intensity increased as Chris and Willow closed in on
the killer's identity. I was glued to the pages during the final confrontation
as they faced the killer. I ached for Willow as she learned why her father lost
his life. It looked like the killer had the upper hand for a while, and I
wasn't sure how they'd get out of it. I loved how it worked out.
The epilogue was terrific as all of the loose ends got
tied up. I liked Willow's decision about the ranch and how it made her feel. I
could feel Chris's worry as he wondered about her plans and what it would mean
for them. I loved how she answered his question, and his reaction was fantastic.
I look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
I always enjoy seeing characters from previous books show
up as secondaries. It's an easy way to catch up on what's happening with them
after being invested in their stories. There is some mention of the ongoing
story arc of Trey Allerton, Courtney Baker, and the youth ranch Trey is
supposedly building. He's still too slick to be trusted, and his hold on
Courtney is disturbing. I look forward to seeing how that storyline works out.
And she's convinced it's connected to a larger conspiracy…
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