A review by dollycas
Trotting into Trouble by Amber Camp

dark emotional funny mysterious

5.0

Dollycas's Thoughts

Mallory Martin owns and operates a horse rescue and has received a call from Sheriff Grady Sullivan telling her there is a loose horse in the Deadwood Lake Wildlife Management Area and he needs her help to catch it. It is hunting season so she and her volunteer turned employee Tanner don their orange vests and head up the trail. They find the horse and further up the trail, they find a dead body, Douglas Griggs, Hillspring’s star basketball coach. His death appears to be a hunting accident.

The coach's wife wants nothing to do with the horse. She tells Mallory to keep it. She does want Mallory's help though. She is sure the sheriff is overlooking vital evidence. She wants Mallory to investigate to find out who killed her husband and why. Mallory's life is busy but Mr. Griggs was her favorite high school teacher, so she agrees not realizing the danger she is putting herself in.

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I was happy to be back at Hillspring Horse Rescue to get caught up with Mallory, Tanner, Ashley, and resident donkey, Biscuit. Tanner is no longer a volunteer and has some exciting ideas to discuss with Mallory. Ashley is still a volunteer as college takes up most of her time. She makes her hours at the rescue count and has some ideas to discuss with Mallory as well. Mallory and attorney Andy Hannigan's relationship is moving along nicely but he doesn't like her putting her life in danger. Mallory and Lanie's friendship hits a big bump and Sheriff Grady has his hands full with the case and all the tangential incidents. I enjoy the way these characters are written. They feel true to life. Biscuit is quite the donkey and alarm system when anyone arrives on the farm or one of the horses needs help. It takes talent to make an animal character resonant and Ms. Camp does a great job.

Mallory's rescue is so important. She has several horses in residence. Some are used for riding lessons while others are recovering and will soon be ready for adoption. Before she went to look for the loose horse she and Tanner rescued a near skeletal mare that was found during an investigation into a meth lab. My heart just broke for this several hundred pounds underweight horse, found without any water or hay. By its state, it hadn't been fed in a long time. Then when it finally had food it came down with colic. The care Mallory and Tanner took of her was amazing. Ms. Camp's knowledge and love of animals shine throughout the story.

Coach Griggs was Mallory's favorite teacher but he had changed since she was in school. Rumors were circulating and he was pushing to make changes at the school that many were not in favor of, but did that warrant killing the man? Amber became more immersed in the case as she tried to help the deceased widow. She did inform Sheriff Grady of anything she learned or her thoughts about the case. I did my best to follow along and had what I thought was a good theory but when all was revealed I was only partially right. What Ms. Camp came up with was so much better than what I was thinking.

Trotting into Trouble is an entertaining cozy mystery with genuine characters and a mystery filled with twists and turns set in a close-knit small town in Arkansas. I do not see the next book in the series available yet for pre-order. I hope this is not the last we see of these characters. So many good things were yet to come.

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I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.