Customer Reviews

Talented Horsewoman

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First off, I don't like mysteries much. I'm more interested in how people work out than who-done-it. This terrific book breaks the mold, operating on both levels: I got to watch a smart, spunky single parent work out the issues in her life AND figure out who murdered her friend. This book's heroine, daughter, and sister are engaging and real. I cared about them right away. The suspects swarm all over. I couldn't figure out who did it until the very end.

In addition to being a very skillful writer, the author presents the world of horses perfectly. Our family has operated a horse breeding farm for twenty years; I have ridden almost all of my life and know the horse show world very well. There's nothing more irritating to a real horse person than authors who don't know anything about horses trying to write about them. Just as your horse knows how well you ride from the instant you step into the saddle, so do readers who are riders know if an author is a bogus horse person or not.

Talented Horsewoman gets it right. I won't say more, because I don't want to spoil the ride for you, but L C Evans' clues and the plot's revelations could only come from a horse expert.

But this book isn't just for horse enthusiasts: It's a great read for everyone and you'll learn plenty from it. I highly recommend it.

L.C. Evans paints a vivid picture in this story based in South Florida. You feel the heat and humidity as the sun beats down on you. Leigh McRae is on a quest to prove that her friend and associate, Rita, didn't just have 'an accident'. But does anyone believe her? There is plenty of drama, but what makes this story even more interesting is the way Evans adds family issues and interpersonal relationships into the mix. The story is intense. It keeps you hooked into the story line from page 1.

Highly recommended.
Pete

I loved this book! I loved the setting because I grew up in Florida so I could really relate to it. the story was fast-paced and kept me guessing. I wound up staying up until the middle of the night finishing it because I didn't want to put it down. Very fun book; I recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh new voice.

This book is a great read especially if you're a horse fan. Its fast paced and I didn't want to put it down. Read it in one night. The plot is filled with plenty of twists and will keep you guessing. The author has an easy to read writing style and it sucks you in from the first paragragh. LC Evans is a witty author, and I enjoyed Talented Horsewoman as much as I enjoyed her last book, Jobless Recovery.

L.C. Evans is a very talented writer. Her mystery, Talented Horsewoman, kept me completely engaged throughout the entire book. Her knowledge of the horse world is extensive, her plot is a page turner and her characters believable. A good, well written story, and a great rainy night read for me. I'd definitely recommend this. I have read another book by this author, can't remember the name, but it was equally well done.

First off, I don't like mysteries much. I'm more interested in how people work out than who-done-it. This terrific book breaks the mold, operating on both levels: I got to watch a smart, spunky single parent work out the issues in her life AND figure out who murdered her friend. This book's heroine, daughter, and sister are engaging and real. I cared about them right away. The suspects swarm all over. I couldn't figure out who did it until the very end.

In addition to being a very skillful writer, the author presents the world of horses perfectly. Our family has operated a horse breeding farm for twenty years; I have ridden almost all of my life and know the horse show world very well. There's nothing more irritating to a real horse person than authors who don't know anything about horses trying to write about them. Just as your horse knows how well you ride from the instant you step into the saddle, so do readers who are riders know if an author is a bogus horse person or not.

Talented Horsewoman gets it right. I won't say more, because I don't want to spoil the ride for you, but L C Evans' clues and the plot's revelations could only come from a horse expert.

But this book isn't just for horse enthusiasts: It's a great read for everyone and you'll learn plenty from it. I highly recommend it.

Sandy Nathan
Numenon (Bloodsong Series)

Once I start an L.C. Evans book, I can't stop, and TH was no exception. The title is a little strange, but the woman it apparently applied to was as congenial as the heroine of the other Evans' book, "We Interrupt This Date."

The horse part of the story was interesting (I didn't know, for instance, that horses were intelligent enough to get bored) but the whodunit, of course, was the guiding force. Talk about misdirection. I thought I had it figured out several times until the surprising ending, making me feel as dumb as the TH thought she was. Nicely done. (I wish this book was available on the Kindle.)

I breezed through Talented Horsewoman, which I found to be very readable and fun to follow. The setting, story and characters of the novel bring you into a warm, inviting, and realistic world with everyday worries and struggles. The story then effortlessly takes you down a path where a possible murder has occurred. Various players surface, and you are never sure who amongst them carries what secrets and motivations. Dangerous circumstances hide in the shadows and the heroine of the book is the first to realize it.

Apart from an interesting mystery, the story presents some good secondary storylines - the main character, Leigh, is a single, divorced mother trying to raise her young, impressionable daughter while dealing with an interfering ex, navigating dating life, maintaining friendships through difficult times, struggling between dull work and her true passions, and finding her own footing, confidence and courage through it all. She is a very realistic, well-rounded and likable character that you can relate to in various ways and comfortably identify with.

I enjoyed Talented Horsewoman and would not hesitate to pick up another novel by this author, who has a gift for creating inviting worlds and interesting stories...

Rai Aren, co-author of the adventure novel, Secret of the Sands

Talented Horsewoman is a nicely written mystery story about a woman who leads, or at least tries to lead, a quiet life in an out of the way little town. Leigh McRae, the character, has also traded in a little bit of her own happiness in order to provide a good life for her daughter - one which includes horses.

Her life takes an unexpected turn when she finds the body of a good friend of hers - a woman who, like her, spends a lot of time around horses. While the police rule the friend's death as an accident, Leigh thinks otherwise and starts looking into it herself.

Leigh's sleuthing leads her onto various investigative trails. Some pan out, some don't. Through it all, she meets various people who had a greater role in her deceased friend's life than she thought and others who just thought they did. The story, in the end, is one of not only looking past the obvious, but also one of looking into yourself. It is the story of everyday living and of "knowing" what a person would or wouldn't do in some circumstances, even if you may not have known all about them, simply because you were friends. A definite recommendation.

L.C. Evans has a winner with Talented Horsewoman. The author has an uncanny knack for painting vivid, descriptive pictures with her smooth writing style. Her knowledge of horses adds realism to this amazing story of a horsewoman who plays amateur detective. The heroine, Leigh McRae, is a single parent raising a precocious little girl on her horse farm. Her ex-husband still meddles in their lives as she faces the everyday problems of raising horses and a daughter. Leigh finds her good friend Rita Cameron dead from an apparent accident. The local police close the case as such, but Leigh has her doubts and decides to investigate on her own. She faces her own personal problems with money and relationships as her sleuthing discovers a myriad of deception, greed and lust among her suspects. There were more than enough plot twists to keep me fully involved in this well written tale. I especially enjoyed the authors style of cynicism and irreverent rebellion with her character Leigh McRae. This is a fine family mystery that would work well as a Disney movie.
Mike Monahan
author of
Barracuda