Katerina Garwood is a horsewoman in her early twenties, who has just had a minor run in with Max when a barn explodes on her domineering father's horse ranch. Max was investigating a gangland situation (arising in a previous book) and is first to find Katerina semi-conscious and injured on the ground. There is nothing to say she is involved in the gangland crime, but her father, the mayor, and she don't get along. Katerina got taken in by a man who was using the horse barn business to distribute drugs. She's no longer in that relationship, but Max can't be sure she doesn't know anything, so he visits her at the hospital. The lady has only just been threatened by an associate of her former boyfriend. Busy day.

The tale is mainly set in California with excellent use of scenery such as a curving mountain road, canyons, live oaks, and historic buildings. Opal, wearing her K9 uniform jacket, is able to take flights with her partner and is a happy, normal dog when not working. I like that Max, a decade older than Katerina, assumes he is too old for her and treats her responsibly, helping keep her safe from the drug cartel. If your life had gone into a pitfall, you would have more on your mind than romance. Katerina takes work at Señor Alvarez's diner. Problem is, this makes it easy for cartel members to find her and they think she knows something that she doesn't.

This crime tale places great emphasis on finding evidence and handling it correctly. In police procedural books, the routines may seem cumbersome to readers of cozy crimes, but a different level of resolution is required than an amateur sleuth tale which often ends in a confession. The hardened criminals involved -- and it takes a very hardened person to plant a bomb which will cause indiscriminate harm -- are much better left to the professional crime stoppers. Softening the account is the occasional conversation between the principals about their views on faith, life having taken them in opposite directions. Meanwhile the level of confidence between Katerina and Max keeps growing and we can see it turning to love. Next in the series will be called BOUNTY HUNTER by fantastic author Lynette Eason. SPECIAL AGENT by Valerie Hansen will whet your appetite for this exciting romance series.

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