A Killing in the Hills

A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When county prosecutor Bell Elkin's daughter, Carla, witnesses a triple murder at the Salty Dawg in their hometown of Ackers Gaps, WV, Bell is determined to protect Carla and find the killer. Unfortunately even though the diner was full of people, no one has description of the suspect. As days go by and Carla relives the horrifying event the face with the gun looks like a young man she seen at a recent party - where drugs were flowing easy. How can Carla give the information to her mom but not be grounded for life? In her quest to find the perp and dig deeper into the drug ring surrounding their county, Bell's own life is put in danger as is Carla's.

Full of suspense, A Killing in the Hills contains more than one mystery and readers will find Bell's own life story as the chapters unfurl. Bitter River is the next great read in the Bell Elkins mysteries.

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Keep Quiet

Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How far would you go to protect your child? How does the domino effect of lying affect the relationship with your spouse..your child..your job...

Jake Buckman, an accountant, is trying to rebuild a crumbling relationship with his 6'5" teenage son and high school basketball star, Ryan. After picking Ryan up from movie, Jake allows him to drive home a quiet, back road after 11pm, even though Ryan's learner's permit does not allow it. But, the unthinkable happens and in a heartbeat Jake makes a decision that will take the heat off Ryan but will mentally tear the family apart. It's crushing to read the thoughts and turmoil of what they face as each lie steamrolls, creating even more pain in its wake.....

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Bitter River

Bitter River by Julia Keller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I usually do not read crime fiction, but this one caught my eye. Not only is the cover and title appealing, it takes place in a fictional town in the Appalachian mountains of nearby West Virginia. Several pages into Bitter River I realized that, darn, this is Julia Keller's second book set in Acker's Gap about prosecuting attorney, Bell Elkins. By that point, I was already involved with the story and couldn't put it down. Bell is deeply invested in the area and many of the townspeople are her personal friends or related. When a murder involving a popular and well-liked teen happens, the town is turned upside down with sadness, but yet there is more sorrow to come. Is the perp a local or an outsider? Bell has her hands full trying to track down the murderer.

I will be tracking down the first book - A Killing in the Hills.

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Wildflower Bride

Wildflower Bride by Mary Connealy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Mary Connealy writes about feisty, stubborn women, romance, and suspense. Even though I didn't read the first two books in the series, I had no trouble picking this one up and understanding the characters. The feisty woman is Glowing Sun, raised by the Flathead Indians, after her white family died. That same small tribe is almost wiped out after a band of thieves and cattle rustlers invade the village. The romantic lead character, Wade Sawyers, who heard the gunfire and rushed to her aid, has fallen for this strong female. When Wade finds out that his estranged father is at death's door, he and Glowing Sun reluctantly return to the ranch only to discover that the outlaws are closer than he thinks.



The play between the two main characters are laugh-out-loud funny and you find yourself rooting for Wade as Glowing Sun, now known as her Christian name of Abby, pulls a knife on him multiple times.



Montana Marriages series:

1. Montana Rose

2. The Husband Tree

3. Wildflower Bride



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