The Rose Creek Book Club is Back in Action. And I’m Happy!
I’d given up hope that we’d get a third book in the Rose Creek Mysteries from Catherine Dilts. But after two years, I was thrilled when the author contacted me letting me know that a new one was coming soon. I quickly rearranged my reading schedule to welcome the women back into my life with The Body in the Hayloft. And my patience was well rewarded.
This series is something different, especially for a cozy mystery series. Instead of a main character, it really does focus on a group of friends who met just a few months ago their time, in the first book in the series. They live in Rose Creek, Oklahoma, and have very different backgrounds. But when they come together, they have a knack for solving murders in their small town. Because of some ongoing storylines, I highly recommend you read the books in order. However, despite the gap since I read the second book in the series, I was back in their world within pages, so if you did jump in here, you wouldn’t be lost for long.
This book finds Callie’s ranch invaded by guests when the Equi X event loses their location at the last minute and Callie’s husband offers the Double C for their use. Equi X is supposed to celebrate the best of the equestrian community, both the novice and the expert, and some of Callie’s friends and their loved ones are participating. But when one of the presenter’s cats goes missing, Callie finds herself among those trying to locate the pampered pet. When Callie finds the pet, she also finds a dead body. Is it an accident? Or has the book club found themselves involved in another murder?
Yes, I know my teaser focused on just one of the characters, but trust me, all four of the main characters are an active part of the book. They also get their own storylines outside of the murder, which lets us get to know them better. We also take turns seeing the story from each of their third person points of view. It’s why I started by saying there really wasn’t a main character here. It’s a balancing act, but it is one that works well here. I love these characters and the supporting players we’ve gotten to know in the earlier books in the series. It was fantastic to spend time with all of them again, and see some advances in their personal lives.
Of course, this does mean that the mystery takes a back seat occasionally to everything else going on. However, it’s never for too long. And, honestly, I don’t mind since I’m here for the characters just as much as the mystery. There are plenty of suspects and motives. I figured things out slightly before the characters, but I was along for the ride of the climax and felt all my questions were answered.
There are some teases of storylines to come in future books, and I hope we get to spend more time with these women. If you are looking for a strong community in a cozy mystery, you really need to check out these books. The Body in the Hayloft is the triumphant return fans have been wanting.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for stopping by. In order to combat spam, I moderate most comments. I'll get to your comment as soon as I can.