Customer Reviews

Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch (Harlequin Intrigue)

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(70)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I haven't read a Harlequin book in years but when I saw this on offer as a free download for my Kindle I decided to give it a try. I was very pleasantly surprised at how well it was written and how much I enjoyed it.

Dana Cardwell and Hudson Savage were engaged to be married until something happened which caused Dana to loose all her trust in Hudson. He left the Gallatin Canyon area of Montana and moved to Los Angeles where he had been a policeman for the past five years. Dana's siblings were forcing her to sell the ranch she loved so much and divide the proceeds with them because she could not find the copy of the will her Mother had made just prior to her death. That will had deeded ownership solely to Dana. When human bones were found in an unused well on the Cardwell Ranch original homestead the newly appointed temporary Montana Marshal arrives to work the crime scene. And that man is none other than Hud Savage.

This is the tried-and-true big misunderstanding plot but thankfully the author allows the characters to work through their problem naturally and the heroine is not so incredibly stubborn that it takes until the last page of the book for her to admit that she just might have made some hasty decisions. This book is definitely a mystery and that mystery is written very well. I've never read anything by B. J. Daniels but I can tell you that I am hard to please when it comes to mysteries and I think she did a fine job with this one. It was so well written that the villain is not obvious - or, maybe just a tiny bit obvious.

This book is not a deep, complex novel. It is a pleasurable, short reading experience which will likely give most readers enjoyment. There is one sex scene described, just so you will know in case that isn't something you want to read in a romance.

Edit 12/29/10: A comment on this review recently brought me back to look at it and I found that the remainder of the review had to do with a rant of mine about the Kindle. Looking back almost 18 months later that rant was absolutely erroneous and was a direct result of me not knowing how to operate my new Kindle. Because it was not relevant (and sounded rather juvenile also) I have removed those comments from the review. I still remember this book and will probably read it again some day, once enough time passes for me to forget who the villain is.

Ah, Murder in Montana!
Dana Cardwell had caught Hud Savage in her sister's bed - no explanations necessary. She broke their engagement. He left town. Guilty as sin??

Well what do you know? Warren Fitzpatrick gets Dana up early and takes her to the old homestead on the ranch. The old well had never been filled in - yup! there were bones at the bottom.

They called for the Marshal of the area. Turns out that Hudson Savage is now in charge. Dana wants to avoid him at all costs. She can never forgive him. Yet now there is a murder to be solved. And like it or not her family might be involved. Hud even suspects his own father.

Lanny Rankin, a lawyer, is angry that Hud has returned as he had hopes of marrying Dana.

There is Jordan, Clay and Stacy Cardwell, siblings of Dana's, that want her to sell the ranch. Was it possible that they were involved in some way? Stacy seems to know something, but what?

Rupert Milligan make a disturbing discovery, the same gun was used in the robbery and murder of Judge Raymond Randolph. About the same time that Hud had left the area.
The Judge hated Brick Savage, the former Marshal. Was Brick involved?

Excellent plot, excellent twists and great characters.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -m - I would keep it for the cover alone. Those eyes!

This is my first book by B. J. and will not be the last, I am looking forward to reading more of her books. It was a fast pace book, and you could never really tell who did the crimes till the end, she had you thinking it was one person or another.
Dana and Hud were a great couple, would love to see them show up in another book together.

I have never read a harlequin romance before being that they are often considered the worst of the worst of cheesy romance. However with this book I was pleasantly surprised. It was well thought out with a good solid mystery mixed in. The characters were very believable I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and a little mystery. My reason for it only being 4 stars? It was too short I like longer books and short book just tend to disappoint me but I do plan on reading more BJ Daniels in the future.

WOW! This was one great book. Very rarely can I find a book that I cannot put down but this was an exception; it kept me guessing all the way up to the end.

So the book started off fine, but by the end, I was hating the Dana character. She was so annoying. And nothing she did made sense. [spoilers] Gee...I know there is a killer on the loose to get me, but I think I'll take off by myself when I was just expressly told not to because I'm so worried about every gossipy mofo in this town. Gosh my sister is missing, I think, but I will ignore a plot hole, and go have sex with my old boyfriend, and ignore my missing sister and father who just had a heartattack in the next town over. I mean, really???!!! Bad.

I may need to reread the ending on this as it had too many plot holes for me to understand how it all worked out, but thats probably because I was so bored reading it I was skipping entire paragraphs and sometimes pages.... if not, maybe someone can explain to me.....

WARNING!!! SPOILERS AHEAD - BOOK ENDING


How exactly was it that Kitty made her husband kill a woman? She just made a moral, decent man kill someone and he simply did it?? Come on now... and why did she just randomly decide to kill him twelve years later? And why the heck would they dump the body in a well where a friggin family of six is living??? Especially since, as we were told from the scene with the doll, you can see the well from the main house!!!!! And the whole Stacey thing?? Your gonna pretend to sleep with your only sisters man to get out of jail time? With all the money her rich hubby had she couldn't get a really good lawyer to get her community service or something? And after finding out someone died due to her actions, her biggest concern is not that she helped in a murder, but that her sister is angry with her?

Sorry just ranting... this wasnt my favorite book

I've never liked to read. In fact, the only books I've absolutely gotten caught up in was the Harry Potter books. I haven't bought a book since, though. My friend at work owns a kindle and has over 500 books, and when I saw the kindle app for my iPod, I decided to get it and start reading again. This is the first book I got, and I absolutely loved it. I read it within two days, which is highly unusual for me since I never liked reading. It's a great story and I could read it over and over again.

Daniels has more than an intriguing suspense story; she has put together an explosive tale of love, trust and the twisted ties among an embattled family." Pat Cooper, Romantic Times Magazine starred review (4 1/2 stars)

I had never read a book by BJ Daniels, but it was a good book especially for the price - free. It was an easy read. Couldn't put it down. Plus, it allows text to speech, so I was able to listen to it while I did the dishes one night, definite bonus. Highly recommend it.