"Family drama at its very best"
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted July 19, 2024
Romance Western | Romance Suspense
The next installment of the Powder River series by B. J. Daniels brings a sense of resolve to several questions. But, of course, not all issues will be remedied. Birdie Malone is now in town looking for justice for her father Dixon who had disappeared from her life. What bothered her the most was his promise that he was coming to get her. Dixon married Charlotte Stafford. Short-lived marriage. And recently Dixon’s body was found at the bottom of a deep well. The big question of who dun it with most fingers pointed at Charlotte. You see Charlotte has a questionable history with neighbor Holden McKenna. They are linked together in some strange ways. As teens and young adults, their relationship might have looked promising. But family intrusion paved the way for these two.
Holden married the daughter of a neighboring ranch to add land to his family’s holdings. Charlotte was pushed aside. And it seems that for the remainder of the time, she held a grudge against Holden which of course spread through both their children.
Now back to the present. Charlotte’s relationship with all her kids is strained. And now son CJ is in prison. Her daughter married McKenna. The rest sort of scattered to the winds. Son Brand opens an assortment of problems when he decides to have his DNA tested. Seems he always felt different from his siblings. Add the arrival of Birdie Malone.
The two are quite literally thrown together and wind up forming an odd alliance. Brand and Birdie team up to help find her justice for her dad. Birdie feels certain the culprit is none other than Brand’s mother. Brand feels obligated to find the real killer and clear his mother’s name. Pretty challenging task considering she is at the top of the list. Charlotte has become an angry, nasty person with really only one friend.
Holden McKenna is thrown into the fire when his young charge Holly Jo is kidnapped. Who would do this? Looking at the list of people Holden has hurt directs the investigation into Charlotte's world.
As the investigation continues the roads become murky. Long-held disagreement needs to be put aside. Some strange alliances emerge. Brand and Birdie keep getting in the middle somehow which of course irks the town sheriff.
Have I caught your attention yet? All and all a good mystery is going to be cracked open. And then again B. J. Daniels will leave some issues to be resolved another day. Powder River has been a fun crime and family dynamic series to read. The first two were amazing which led me to search out this installment. Never disappointed in anything B. J. Daniels authors. Characters once again shine even those with questionable traits. I usually can say that the book stands alone, but in this series, it warrants following along. The author does take time to refresh your memory concerning the characters and their relationship. But each book has an enticing storyline.
SUMMARY
When you look for the truth, there’s no telling what you’ll find…
Brand Stafford has long felt he didn’t quite fit in with his siblings. Now he has the DNA evidence to prove his real father is the Staffords’ ranching rival, Holden McKenna. That secret does more than complicate his family—it’s also made him the prime suspect in a kidnapping. His unlikely ally in clearing his name is Birdie Malone, newly arrived in Powder Crossing in search of answers of her own.
Impetuous and stubborn, Birdie has a knack for pulling Brand out of his comfort zone. Suddenly this rule-following cowboy is determined to do what he knows is right, whether that’s tracking down a kidnapper or finally giving away his heart. Even if he has to put everything on the line to do it…
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