[Horse Lover's Mystery 01] • Saddled With Trouble

Equal parts amateur sleuth whodunit and understated contemporary romance, the first installment of Michele Scott's Horse Lover's Mystery saga is a fast-paced murder mystery that revolves around Michaela Bancroft, a 32-year-old horse trainer whose personal life is quickly coming apart at the seams. Struggling through an ugly divorce and in danger of losing her southern California ranch to creditors, Bancroft finds her already chaotic life turned upside down when her beloved uncle Lou is found murdered in a stable stall, impaled by a pitchfork. The distraught Bancroft vows to find the person or people behind the senseless homicide, but the deeper she digs into her uncle's secretive past (an ill-managed business venture involving an artificial insemination breeding program, rumors of infidelity, mysterious payoffs, etc.), the more potential suspects come to the forefront. Even Bancroft's closest friends --- trusted veterinarian Ethan Slater and her fun-loving roommate, Camden -- become prime suspects. Ignoring the advice of hunky detective Jude Davis, Bancroft continues snooping around and soon finds herself the killer's next target.... Scott's genre-blending Saddled with Trouble will appeal to mystery and romance fans alike. Her newest could easily be categorized as a romantic suspense a la Linda Howard or Nora Roberts."