A jockey and his prized horse are found dead in the stables — and Hattie Leiper thinks it's poison.
What was supposed to be a perfect day at the Hillshire Farms Steeplechase—fancy hats, cross-country jumps, and a double date with Detective Bo Beckett, turns deadly the moment the first race ends. Authorities call it a tragic accident. But Hattie notices something no one else does: Austin Grimes died with his mouth open, as if he swallowed something. She's not buying the official story.
Quietly, methodically, Hattie begins her own investigation—and the deeper she digs into the steeplechase world, the darker it gets. Tangled debts. Bitter rivalries. Jockeys with secrets. Nearly everyone on the grounds had a reason to want Austin Grimes gone.
With her grumpy Chow Chow Moose sniffing out clues, feisty Yorkie Mini Pearl keeping everyone honest, and crime-magnet British Shorthair Cecil right in the thick of the sleuthing, Hattie races to expose a killer before another body drops in the bluegrass.
Bonus recipes included!
A multiple bestselling author and 2025 Global Book Awards Silver Medal winner. If you love equestrian cozy mysteries, Southern small-town whodunits, and pet-driven sleuthing in the tradition of Ellery Adams, Jenn McKinlay, and Maggie Sefton — you'll feel right at home at the steeplechase. Each book in the Hattie and Moose series stands alone: no cliffhangers, no loose ends, just cozy charm and clever sleuthing.
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