Review
MURDER AT COTTONWOOD CREEK by Clara McKenna
The Seventh Stella and Lyndy Mystery
It's a family affair when Lyndy's father, Lord Atherly, travels to Montana to search for fossils. The dig happens to be on Ninebark, the ranch owned by Stella's mother, Katherine, and her husband. While Lord Atherton is in his element and Stella is thrilled to spend time with her mother, there's trouble brewing on the ranch. Short tempers, stolen property, and the death of a hired hand are just the start of the problems. While the coroner makes certain the death is deemed an accident neither Stella nor the sheriff are so sure. With wily characters around every corner Stella and Lyndy will have to keep their eyes and ears open if they want a happy ending!
Stella and Lyndy take on the Wild West in MURDER AT COTTONWOOD CREEK. Rival paleontologists, political rivals, and family drama spark this historical mystery with a sheriff unwilling to rock the boat leaving Stella to solve the mystery, with a little help from her husband, Lyndy.
It was a nice change of pace seeing Stella and Lyndy in the States. While it's been somewhat of a fish out of water story for Stella in the past six books, now it's Lyndy's turn. I enjoyed how Lyndy's father, Lord Atherly, fits in so well, while Lyndy is taken aback by the rules and mores of early 1900s Montana! To be honest, I found him to be snobbish and rather unlikable, especially in the scene where he goes into a store and is put out that he has to wait his turn!
With several suspects and red herrings galore MURDER AT COTTONWOOD CREEK brings American ingenuity to the fore in this engaging mystery.
