Eleven Stolen Horses
by Robin Somers
Publisher
Sibylline Press
Publication
Sep 17, 2024
Format
Paperback/Softback
Illustrated
No
Price
18
Dimensions
5.315 x 8.465 in
ISBN
9781960573865
ASIN
1960573861
Pages
300
Age
Adult 18+
Category
General FictionMystery & Detective
Rights Sold
🌍 World Wide Rights Available
Description
Awards & Endorsements
Review
Kirkus Reviews
Author(s)
Robin Somers
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| Publisher | Sibylline Press |
| Publication | Sep 17, 2024 |
| Format | Paperback/Softback |
| ISBN | 9781960573865 |
| Pages | 300 |
| Age | 18 - 99 |
| Price | $18.00 |
Categories
General FictionMystery & Detective
BISAC Codes
FICTION / Mystery & Detective / General
FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
FICTION / Friendship
Eleven Stolen Horses
by Robin Somers
Eleanor Wooley is determined to start her life over in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. But when her new best friend suddenly disappears, Eleanor abandons her job as a crime reporter for The Gold Strike Tribune and sets off in desperate pursuit. Spurred by gut instinct, Eleanor soon leaves California and scours Northeastern Nevada during one of the hottest, driest summers on record. Obscure signs appear—an intruder’s dire warning, a casino’s mysterious graffiti, a random sighting of a killer on the run. In her search to find Rette, Eleanor discovers the dark world of today’s inhumane treatment of wild horses, and when the secrets of her trusted best friend’s past begin to surface, Eleanor finds herself in grave danger. With the backdrop of the American West’s high desert wilderness and its towering, rugged mountains and vast open range, Eleanor is forced to decide if continuing her search for Rette is worth losing her own life.
Reviews, Awards & Endorsements
Review
“Somers spins an engaging mystery that captures readers’ attention from the first page and keeps up the momentum as Eleanor makes smart decisions to find the truth. The protagonist’s dedication to justice—not just for her friend, but for anyone who has been wronged (including the majestic horses that have been stolen)—makes her a worthy heroine. The rural setting feels grounded and real in Somers’ descriptions: 'On her right under the cape of night, sandpaper hills scraped the black horizon and the Truckee River spangled with moonlight.' The web of blackmail, thievery, and murder is made entertaining by the twists and turns of the story; at the same time, the author maintains the verisimilitude of the darker moments. A great mystery with genuine characters and a satisfying ending.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Former crime reporter Somers (Beet Fields) delivers a solid series launch that draws on her professional experience and her advocacy for wild horses. Three years ago, Eleanor Wooley ended her turbulent marriage, moved to the small town of Gold Strike, Calif., and took a job as a crime reporter. Things have been fairly quiet ever since, but that changes when Eleanor’s best friend, Rette Kenny—who helped Eleanor purchase her first horse—vanishes without a trace. Concerned, Eleanor starts to report on Rette’s disappearance, only to have her boss remove her from the story out of concern that the women’s friendship constitutes a conflict of interest. Eleanor persists anyway, and soon unearths a potential connection between Rette’s fate, the theft of 11 horses from the corral outside a rustic mountain lodge, and the murder of a small-time Gold Strike thief. Somers effortlessly evokes the rhythms of life in a small town, infusing Eleanor’s twist-filled investigation with welcome authenticity. With a memorable lead and immersive atmosphere, this promises good things for the series to come.” —Publishers Weekly
“Robin Somers knows the gritty corners of the Sierra Nevada, what it means to cover a crime beat, and most of all how to tell a moody, multi-layered story in mesmerizing style. Eleven Stolen Horses is a knockout.” —Elizabeth McKenzie, author of Dog of the North
“Former crime reporter Somers (Beet Fields) delivers a solid series launch that draws on her professional experience and her advocacy for wild horses. Three years ago, Eleanor Wooley ended her turbulent marriage, moved to the small town of Gold Strike, Calif., and took a job as a crime reporter. Things have been fairly quiet ever since, but that changes when Eleanor’s best friend, Rette Kenny—who helped Eleanor purchase her first horse—vanishes without a trace. Concerned, Eleanor starts to report on Rette’s disappearance, only to have her boss remove her from the story out of concern that the women’s friendship constitutes a conflict of interest. Eleanor persists anyway, and soon unearths a potential connection between Rette’s fate, the theft of 11 horses from the corral outside a rustic mountain lodge, and the murder of a small-time Gold Strike thief. Somers effortlessly evokes the rhythms of life in a small town, infusing Eleanor’s twist-filled investigation with welcome authenticity. With a memorable lead and immersive atmosphere, this promises good things for the series to come.” —Publishers Weekly
“Robin Somers knows the gritty corners of the Sierra Nevada, what it means to cover a crime beat, and most of all how to tell a moody, multi-layered story in mesmerizing style. Eleven Stolen Horses is a knockout.” —Elizabeth McKenzie, author of Dog of the North
Kirkus Reviews
In Somers’ mystery, when a journalist’s best friend goes missing, she’ll stop at nothing to find her.
Eleanor Wooley, a crime reporter for the Gold Strike Tribune(a newspaper in rural California) is assigned to write about the murder of Ruben Beaumont. At first, it seems the murder could be linked to Ruben’s crimes of thievery and blackmail, but Eleanor discovers the gay man’s killing may have been a hate crime committed by local bigot Wade Stockton. Eleanor’s attention is divided by the disappearance of her best friend, Rette Kenny, who may be lost in the Sierra Nevada. As she tries to do everything in her power to help in the search for her friend, Eleanor discovers another crime near the location where Rette disappeared: the theft of 11 horses. The horses were taken from Bear Clover Inn, not far from where Rette’s abandoned truck is soon found. Eleanor heads up to Bear Clover Inn, learns more about the stolen horses, and then sets out to join the search for Rette. But it’s stymied when dogs are able to track Rette’s scent down a ledge and into a river but no further. However, there is new hope for answers when Eleanor learns Wade Stockton may be involved in Rette’s disappearance—and in illegal horse trading.
Somers spins an engaging mystery that captures readers’ attention from the first page and
keeps up the momentum as Eleanor makes smart decisions to find the truth. The protagonist’s dedication to justice—not just for her friend, but for anyone who has been wronged (including
Author
Robin Somers
Excrime reporter Robin Somers spent her middle years in Tuolumne County in the Sierra Nevada, where she wrote for the daily newspaper and kept a horse. Today, she lives near the beach in Santa Cruz, California. She continues to teach an occasional class at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and returns frequently to the Sierra Nevada. She is a passionate advocate for wild horses. A founding member of the Coastal Cruisers chapter of Sisters in Crime, she is the author of Beet Fields, a murder mystery.
Current Licenses
🌍 World Wide Rights Available