I enjoyed Cardwell Ranch Trespasser, a lively suspense
story, and CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH is next in line. Tag
Cardwell has
been living in Texas but he's come back up to Montana for
Christmas, to the surprise of his father Harlan.
Tag intends to call on his cousin Dana on the Cardwell
Ranch, but for now he'll just soak up the atmosphere in
town. He notices a tipsy girl staggering out jacketless and
being helped into a car by some cowboy. Not entirely happy
about this, he mentions it to the bar staff.
CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH has a worrying start, for Tag's
instinct is correct. Mia the tipsy girl was helping out in
the bar and only had one drink, yet she left her coat and
took off early. A co-worker drives by her place to check
on her, but the door is standing open and the place has
been savaged. Lily McCabe sensibly calls the police instead
of entering alone. Mia is missing, and later that night,
another young woman is attacked.
Cardwell Ranch is no stranger to tragedy, but deep snow and
isolation combine and a malevolent person can go unseen.
The tension mounts and Tag, calling on Dana, starts to
wonder what his father knows about the situation. How well
does he know the man after spending twenty years in Texas,
after all?
Lily turns out to be not your usual bartender; she teaches
math at the state university. She latches on to a coded
message on a flashdrive and tries to work out if it was
left by Mia, or if it's a kid's jumble of letters. I liked
her intelligence and persistence, but it leads her straight
into danger. Since author BJ Daniels has built up a
community in previous books, there are several interesting
characters and settings, with continuations of stories
about everyone from the police chief to the bar owner.
There is a good deal of action and police investigation in
this tale, so mystery readers can get their teeth into the
crime aspect while romance lovers can't wait to see how the
several relationships pan out. Be warned that CHRISTMAS AT
CARDWELL RANCH isn't all snowflakes and good cheer, but it
is a well-drawn and at times a gripping tale with a family
finale that's worth waiting for.
AT CARDWELL RANCH, THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE BRUTAL… It had been years since Tanner "Tag" Cardwell's boots touched Montana soil. This Christmas he was determined to change that. Until a run-in with local Lily McCabe revealed dark secrets from his past and deep trouble for his future. Cowboys came and went in these parts. But Tag Cardwell caught Lily off guard in more ways than one when the two became entwined in a murder mystery. What was it about Tag? The dreamy eyes… The rugged physique… The protection she felt in his strong arms… But before they could lose themselves in each other they had to trace a killer. Or risk finding a crime scene under the Christmas tree.
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