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A Love Discovered–Wild West
A Love Discovered
by Tracie Peterson
When Marybeth Kruger’s father dies in a wagon accident, he leaves Marybeth and her two year old stepsister without money. Marybeth is the only “mother” little Carrie has ever known and she refuses to part with her. She is offered a way out of her situation by Edward Vogel, her friend and the husband of her deceased friend Janey.
Cheyenne is a booming town in the Dakota Territory. Edward receives a job offer as a lawman there, but the preference is for a family man. Marybeth and Edward agree to a marriage of convenience. They will not be intimate as he feels responsible for the death of Janey during childbirth. Neither anticipates the feelings that blossom as they struggle together to adapt to life in Cheyenne.
Marybeth is a tough young lady, and if anyone can survive the cold and windy winters of Cheyenne in a tiny tent, she has the fortitude to do it. Any sacrifices are worth it to keep Carrie, a precious little girl who soon calls Edward “Papa.” He loves Carrie right back and is continually concerned about the dangers of the railroad town that is truly the wild west where murders are a frequent event and justice is meted out by vigilantes when it is clear that a hanging offense has occurred.
The historical aspects of life shortly after the Civil War as the country looks westward through railroad expansion are fascinating, but the real focus of the story is Marybeth and Edward’s relationship. Edward has to come to grips with his trust issues with God before he can move ahead with Marybeth. There were a few times that progress in the book seemed slow and the relationship issues repetitive, but I liked the characters especially little Carrie. Tracie Peterson is a prolific writer and was recommended to me by a friend as a good author of Christian historical fiction. I will return to read more of her books to evaluate her works more thoroughly.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance
Notes: #1 in The Heart of Cheyenne series
Publication: March 5, 2024—Bethany House
Memorable Lines:
“Ah, ya’ve a wee daughter. A greater blessin’ can’t be had. Oh, a son is a fine thing, but a daughter is somethin’ special.” The man’s eyes seemed to twinkle in the the dim light.
I remember my parents sayin’ that folks need a Savior, but they also need a friend.” He smiled. “Pa also said we need to be careful and not try to be both.”
“Sometimes we do a thing out of obligation, and in time, we learn to take joy in it.”
Back Stabbers–families, investments, and murder
Back Stabbers
by Julie Mulhern
If you are part of the Country Club set in Kansas City, Missouri, in the 1970’s, certain things are expected of you—the right clothes, the right committees, and the right friends. In Ellison Russell’s case, expectations are that she will find yet another dead body. Ellison really doesn’t want to be involved in murder investigations. She wants a simple life with her teenage daughter Grace, her art work, her country club friends, and her blossoming romance with Detective Anarchy Jones. Between being in the wrong place at the wrong time and having friends who expect her to help when they have a crisis (especially of the criminal type), Ellison’s life is anything but simple and uncomplicated.
When she discovers her investment advisor murdered in a compromising position and in an office where secretaries are treated like sex objects, Ellison is drawn into an investigation in which this is just the first of several crimes to be discovered. As always in the Country Club Murder series, Back Stabbers is set in shades of harvest gold and avocado with shag rugs making an appearance. Mr. Coffee with his liquid ambrosia makes multiple appearances.
Ellison’s half-sister Karma (from the “wrong side of the blankets”) pays a visit to meet her sister, and they have more in common than they would have thought. Lots of other interesting characters populate this book. The plot has humor, multiple threads, and a surprise ending. Fans of Julie Mulhern’s cozy mysteries will not be disappointed.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #8 in the Country Club Murders. It will work as a standalone, but is perhaps more enjoyable with nuances provided by more background.
2. A minor criticism for one of my favorite cozy mystery writers: the humorous Mr. Coffee references were overdone in this book. I’m not suggesting they be deleted entirely, just that there should be fewer of them.
Publication: October 23, 2018—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
The squirrels stopped their chittering and stared at me. A robin leveled a most serious gaze my way. The other birds (there were many) silenced their tweeting. It was as if I was Snow White, the envelope was a poisoned apple, and the park animals were telling me not to bite.
If Mr. Coffee had a fault, it was that he couldn’t steam milk. Not that I’d ever tell him such a thing. I wouldn’t hurt his feelings for all the steamed milk in the world.
“Daddy, this is a really bad idea.” It was an epically terrible, bring-about-the-apocalypse bad idea. Rivers would run backward. The locusts would descend. Mother’s face would melt.
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