Creed's Honor by Linda Lael Miller

If you enjoyed Rae Drummond's memoir, The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story, as much as I did, you might appreciate Linda Lael Miller's romance, Creed's Honor. It's the story of a city woman falling for a rancher. Creed's Honor, part of the Colorado Creeds series, is on the New York Times extended mass market paperback bestseller list. It probably fell there because the next one in the series, The Creed Legacy, is number one right now.

If you pick up this book, don't be fooled by the back cover. It discusses Conner Creed, a rancher in Lonesome Bend, Colorado, and his feud with his twin brother. This story belongs just as much to Tricia McCall. Tricia's living with her great-grandmother, Natty, while she tries to sell the failing businesses she inherited from her father, River's Bend Campground & RV Park, and the Bluebird Drive-in Theater. Tricia's main thought is to sell out and return to Seattle, where she left a boyfriend behind, and the bright city lights. At the same time, the lonely, shy young woman adores Natty, and is finally making a few friends in town.

And, suddenly there are a few more reasons to stay in Lonesome Bend. There's the stray dog that wasn't supposed to get a name, but becomes Valentino. There's Tricia's beloved goddaughter, Sasha, who comes to stay while her parents are in Paris, and falls in love with Valentino. And, then there's a lonesome rancher named Conner Creed, living on the ranch by himself until his twin, Brody, returns from the rodeo circuit, disrupting Conner's life.

After I finished the book, perfectly satisfied with the relationships and romance, I read a couple reviews that complained about the time spent on Tricia's personal life and issues. I disagree.  Miller's Creed books are about the ranchers, their families, and their relationships, and it's just as important to get to know the women who marry into the ranching family. Looking for a sexy romance with a hot rancher? Linda Lael Miller won't steer you wrong with Creed's Honor.

Linda Lael Miller's website is www.lindalaelmiller.com

Creed's Honor by Linda Lael Miller. Harlequin. ©2011. ISBN 9780373775804 (paperback), 384p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The author's publicist sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.

Chihuahua of the Baskervilles by Esri Allbritten

I totally disagree with the copy on the flap of Esri Allbritten's debut mystery, Chihuahua of the Baskervilles. It calls this book "Uproariously funny," and says it's "Sure to leave you in stitches."  That does an injustice to readers expecting a hilarious book. I loved this debut book. I thought the premise was original, quite a departure from most mysteries. I appreciated the three-person team investigating the mystery, and thought they were terrific characters with a great deal of potential for future books. They fit well together, and their conversations were funny. And, I loved all of the historical detail that crept into this book, without appearing historical. But I think those comments about humor will sidetrack readers looking for something slapstick, when this book is so much better than slapstick.

When Charlotte Baskerville, the owner of Petey's Closet, a company that designs clothes for small dogs, thinks she sees the ghost of her beloved Chihuahua, Petey, the staff of Tripping Magazine is dispatched to Manitou Springs, Colorado, to investigate. Tripping, a magazine that reports on travel destinations for those who believe in the paranormal, is edited by Angus MacGregor. Suki Oota, a former photographer for National Geographic, is the perfect person to set up shots of ghostly images. Michael Abernathy would be the new writer/graphic designer. And, since Tripping was actually about to fold, this would be their one chance to put the magazine in the black and attract readers.

When the team arrives in Manitou Springs, they find Charlotte surrounded by people who might not wish the best for her; a scheming husband who lost the family's first fortune, a granddaughter who drinks, a dog trainer with dreams of his own show, a designer who resents Charlotte's claim on her designs, and a neighbor who wants her to sponsor his dog food business. Any one of these people might have an interest in upsetting the older woman who hears and sees her late beloved dog. Angus and the team are there to write a story for the magazine about a ghostly apparition. But, they also have an interest in protecting the woman who sees Petey. Who better to investigate a ghost that seems to give advice and leaves paw prints than the team sent to cover its appearance?

Along with the story of Charlotte Baskerville and Petey, the team also finds time to cover the quirky town of Manitou Springs with its annual Emma Crawford Festival and Memorial Coffin Races, the haunted Miramont Castle, and a restaurant supposedly haunted. Petey's ghostly story is just one more story in a town that would definitely attract readers of Tripping Magazine. It's fun to watch the cynical magazine team explore Manitou Springs. These additional stories add to the charm of the book.


Chihuahua of the Baskervilles is a lively, fun story. Angus, Michael and Suki work well as a team, and they come at their story from different angles, which adds to the humor. But, Allbritten's debut is also a solid, well-written mystery. And, the ghost stories of Manitou Springs actually are tales from the history of the town. So, there are many possibilities for an investigating team that searches for ghosts and haunted destinations.

Allbritten's debut mystery offers a good mystery, a terrific team of sleuths, ghost stories, and a number of possibilities for future locations. I can't vote, but half-way through 2011, Chihuahua of the Baskervilles would be one of my nominees for the Agatha for Best First Mystery.

Esri Allbritten's website is www.EsriAllbritten.com

And, for actual information about the ghosts of Manitou Springs, check out Dark Destinations at
http://tinyurl.com/3z6mut5. 


Chihuahua of the Baskervilles by Esri Allbritten. St. Martin's Minotaur. ©2011. ISBN 9780312569150 (hardcover), 288p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure - The publisher sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.

Revelations by Laurel Dewey

Revelations is Laurel Dewey's third Jane Perry novel. I haven't read the previous ones, but, after reading this one, I'll read all future ones. Revelations is one of the most intriguing crime novels I've read this year. Jane is a flawed, but fascinating character. And, the mystery is complex and absorbing.

Sergeant Detective Jane Perry was just about to take leave after she learned there was the possibility she had cancer when her partner and former boss, Sergeant Morgan Weyler, said he owed an old friend, and asked her to go with him to Midas, Colorado to investigate an unusual kidnapping. Fifteen-year-old Jake Van Gorden was missing after he tried to kill himself by hanging on the bridge. And, now the police and Jake's parents were getting unusual communications from someone who may have the teen. But had the teen been complicit in his own disappearance?

Jane doesn't trust anything she finds when they arrive in Midas. The small, upscale town is filled with secrets. And, the police chief, Bo, is part of the puzzle. He and his assistant are on the verge of retirement, and, even though he reluctantly shares clues and his suspicions with Weyler and Perry, he's hiding something. And, he's convinced he has his suspect, Jordan Copeland, a man who served time for a child's murder. Bo only succeeds in angering Jane, and she sets out to find answers for herself. And, she has to do it on her own, because even Jake's parents have secrets, and they are blocking the investigation.

While Jane is determined to find answers, she's also wrapped up in her own issues. She's a recovering alcoholic who just quit smoking. And, she's already had a tragic life. When she stumbles upon Jordan, he digs at her feelings and past, and that frustrates and angers her. In her confusion, she finds the owner of a bar, The Rabbit Hole, a man who accepts and reaches out to her. As Jane Perry searches for answers to the mystery of Jake's disappearance, she also searches for the truth about the puzzles of her own life.

Laurel Dewey combines mystery, mysticism, secrets and revelations in a riveting story that takes Jane Perry down her own rabbit hole. Jane is a gruff, angry woman, a fascinating character, in search of answers in her own life.  Revelations has truths to tell about the past, secrets to unveil. Sink into Jane Perry's story of an investigation and its Revelations.

Laurel Dewey's website is www.laureldewey.com

Revelations by Laurel Dewey. The Story Plant. ©2011. ISBN 9780984190553 (paperback), 479p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure - I received the book in order to participate in a book tour.

The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas

I'm a big fan of Sandra Dallas' books. Three of her books are some of my favorites, The Persian Pickle Club, Tallgrass and Prayers for Sale. I wish I could say the same about her new book, The Bride's House. I know how personal the book is to her, since she used her own house as a model for the house in the story. But, none of the women in this book came to life for me, as the ones in previous books did.

The Bride's House is the story of three generations of women who love a house in Georgetown, Colorado. Seventeen-year-old Nealie Bent was a runaway from a drunk, abusive father when she ended up in the mining community of Georgetown in 1880. Fortunately, Mrs. Travers, a woman who owned a place for men to eat, hired her, or Nealie might have ended up working the streets. One of the miners, Charlie Dumas, courted her, but once Nealie saw engineer Will Spaulding, she only had eyes for him. But, things didn't go according to Nealie's plans, and she ended up moving into the new mansion she called the Bride's House, married to someone else.

Nealie's daughter, Pearl, never knew her mother, except for the stories her father told of his saintly wife, and the more realistic stories the housekeeper, Mrs. Travers told. But, Pearl's father doted on her, and did everything he could to keep her in his late wife's beloved Bride's House. He thwarted any would be suitors, and turned away the one man Pearl loved. He just didn't count on his daughter's will.

Each summer, Pearl's daughter returned to Georgetown. Susan loved her grandfather, and the house he refused to leave. And, since she had been a child, she loved a Georgetown boy. But, each summer she had to prove herself to the locals, and she never thought her love was returned.

"The old house had its secrets." In reality, the women of the Bride's House, along with Susan's grandfather, had secrets. They had secrets about love and men and children. Dallas' story is one of three generations of women fighting for, and, not always finding the love they expect. Unfortunately, The Bride's House lacks passion. The women seemed to accept the consequences of their fates. Yes, they all suffered, but none of them, not Nealie, or Pearl, or Susan, actually fought for their future at the time they should have. Someone else always stepped in to determine their fate. Perhaps that was the issue I had with the book. Each woman waited for someone else to make their decisions for them.

As I said, some of Sandra Dallas' books are memorable. I'll always remember Tallgrass and The Persian Pickle Club. They were powerful books with unusual characters.  Unfortunately, The Bride's House lacks characters that will live in time. And, for someone who reads for characters, and appreciates Sandra Dallas' gift for creating unique women, The Bride's House doesn't stand up to previous books.

Sandra Dallas' website is www.sandradallas.com

The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas. St. Martin's Press. ©2011. ISBN 9780312600167 (hardcover), 375p.

*****
FTC Full Disclosure - I requested, and received, an ARC from the publisher so I could review it.