B.J. Daniels – Justice at Cardwell Ranch

A book in the Montana Mystique series, published October 2, 2012.
Genre: romantic suspense
Cover: nice



CARDWELL CHARM WAS ALL HE'D EVER NEEDED...UNTIL NOW
Six years ago, Dana Cardwell found her mother's will in a cookbook and became sole owner of the Cardwell Ranch in Big Sky, Montana. Now happily married, Dana is surprised when her siblings, Stacy and Jordan, show up on the ranch...and trouble isn't too far behind. As danger draws closer to the ranch, deputy marshal Liza Turner quickly realizes that Jordan Cardwell isn't the man the town made him out to be.


I have not read any other books in this series, but it was easy to catch up with all the characters and what happened in the past. There are two story lines going on here, one with Jordan, and the other with Stacy.
Stacy suddenly shows up at the ranch with a six months old baby in her arms, and the very pregnant Dana cannot turn her out, no matter how badly Stacy treated her six years ago. She loves the little Ella on sight, and she really needs help with her own children now the doctor has her on forced bedrest. Hudson, her husband and the local Sheriff, is not happy with this, but Dana needs to stay calm. Stacy doesn’t tell them anything about the father, or why she is here, and one day she just disappears when she was going to visit their father, leaving Ella behind. Dana is worried, and Hud makes inquiries, but doesn’t find out anything. Still no reports about a kidnapped baby matching Ella’s description or something like that.

Jordan is back in his home town, because one of his old highschool friends asked him over. A third friend committed suicide 20 years ago, and now there is to be a reunion. Jordan never believe his friend Tanner would commit suicide, he was a brilliant young man with all kinds of plans for the future. Alex Winslow tells him he has evidence that someone killed him, but won’t discuss it on the phone. But when Jordan and Alex are supposed to meet, Alex is killed. Shot. Deputy Liza Turner spotted Jordan earlier on Cardwell land, and doesn’t trust him. To protect her best friend Dana from getting hurt by him again, she follows him. Which means that she is very close by when shots sound, and finds Jordan standing over the body. But he had no way of getting rid of the gun so fast, so he can’t be the murderer, can he? She will keep a close eye on him, and will find out the truth. When he tells her his reasons to come back home, she decides to investigate both deaths, and someone really tries to keep them from finding out.


A whole lot of intrigues and infatuations that go back to high school, the controlling cheerleaders, who still form a close clique, and a lot of mystery and suspense. This book really had only a tiny bit of romance in it, which was not what I expected. But both storylines were keeping my mind busy, and I did not figure them out at all, until the killer revealed all. I am not sure I want to read more about the Cardwells, but I did enjoy reading this book.
I liked Jordan, and how he is determined to find out what happened to both of his friends. I also enjoyed the parts with Dana and her family, and felt really sorry for Stacey in the end. I am curious what will happen to her next.
In the front of the book, there is a very intriguing and perhaps a little spoiling, list of characters. I am glad I did not read that before I started reading the book.


Another book I’ve won, this time at Booklovers Inc. One of my favourite blogs. I’m not really a fan of cowboy romances anymore, though as a child I loved to read about cowboys and Indians. “Arendsoog” by Nowee, and of course Winnetou and Old Shatterhand by Karl May. I still have those books tucked away in the attic.

7 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian