ELEVEN STOLEN HORSES

In Somers’ mystery, when a journalist’s best friend goes missing, she’ll stop at nothing to find her.

Eleanor Wooley, a crime reporter for the Gold Strike Tribune(a newspaper in rural California) is assigned to write about the murder of Ruben Beaumont. At first, it seems the murder could be linked to Ruben’s crimes of thievery and blackmail, but Eleanor discovers the gay man’s killing may have been a hate crime committed by local bigot Wade Stockton. Eleanor’s attention is divided by the disappearance of her best friend, Rette Kenny, who may be lost in the Sierra Nevada. As she tries to do everything in her power to help in the search for her friend, Eleanor discovers another crime near the location where Rette disappeared: the theft of 11 horses. The horses were taken from Bear Clover Inn, not far from where Rette’s abandoned truck is soon found. Eleanor heads up to Bear Clover Inn, learns more about the stolen horses, and then sets out to join the search for Rette. But it’s stymied when dogs are able to track Rette’s scent down a ledge and into a river but no further. However, there is new hope for answers when Eleanor learns Wade Stockton may be involved in Rette’s disappearance—and in illegal horse trading. Somers spins an engaging mystery that captures readers’ attention from the first page and keeps up the momentum as Eleanor makes smart decisions to find the truth. The protagonist’s dedication to justice—not just for her friend, but for anyone who has been wronged (including the majestic horses that have been stolen)—makes her a worthy heroine. The rural setting feels grounded and real in Somers’ descriptions: “On her right under the cape of night, sandpaper hills scraped the black horizon and the Truckee River spangled with moonlight.” The web of blackmail, thievery, and murder is made entertaining by the twists and turns of the story; at the same time, the author maintains the verisimilitude of the darker moments.

A great mystery with genuine characters and a satisfying ending.