Ms. Calculation by Danica Winters


Ms. Calculation
by Danica Winters
Series: Mystery Christmas, #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Paperback Release Date: August 22, 2017
Digital Release Date: September 1, 2017



Welcome to Mystery, Montana, a small town with dark secrets… 

The body found in the Dunrovin Ranch stables isn’t just a crisis for Wyatt Fitzgerald’s family or his top priority as sheriff—Gwen Johansen is both the victim’s sister…and Wyatt’s ex. And in a small town like Mystery, events of the past don’t seem to fade. Maybe she’d misjudged his potential when they were younger, but now he could be her greatest ally—and not just in the investigation. That is, if he can work his way around a broken heart. With the killer circling, the clock is counting down on more than Christmas, a time when family means everything and forgiveness is the best gift of all.


     Something was wrong.
     The store was a mess. The glass teapot, the one he had noticed the day before was on the floor, shattered into pieces. Beside it was a bloody handprint.
     It felt like the world was collapsing around him. He glanced back at Gwen. She didn’t need to see this, but he couldn’t keep her from the truth…or what they might find if they went into the shop. He needed to get in, clear the building and get help if there was someone hurt inside. And yet, he had promised himself he wouldn’t let her be alone again.
     “Gwen…” he said, turning around to face her.
     “What’s wrong?” she asked. All the playfulness she had been exuding disappeared.
     “I need to go in there. Something’s happened.”
     “To Monica?”
     He shrugged. “I can’t be sure until I look.”
     “What do you want me to do?”
     He could make her wait in the car, but just because she was in his car didn’t mean she’d be entirely safe. Whoever was gunning for her had to be someone they both knew, someone close to them, and it was likely someone who could lure her out.
     He couldn’t risk it.


I have included this on my cozy shelf even though Deputy Wyatt Fitzgerald is an official law enforcement officer. The other members of the department are not the geniuses of yelevision's CSI shows. Much of the investigating takes place by Gwen Johansen, the victim's sister and former girlfriend of Wyatt.
This is a quick read, with many clues being given regularly. I figured out almost immediately that the killer was a woman, but who and why were not so readily revealed.
The residents of small town Mystery, MT may think they know everything about their neighbors, but each has secrets they want to believe are kept safe from prying eyes. 

I mentioned that Wyatt and Gwen had a former relationship. Many times in a novel such as this it is the female who dreams of leaving for a bigger city with wider opportunities. This time, Wyatt was the one who needed to explore. Back home now and settled into more of a routine, it is his sad duty to deliver devastating news to Gwen and her mother, not for the first time.

I was a little dismayed at how quickly Gwen set aside her grief, but I understood her need to be strong not only for her mother, who can not cope with life, but also to uncover the truth about what happened to her sister. For the briefest moment Gwen did consider it could have been suicide.
I agreed with her thoughts about trying to protect her sister's secret relationship as if that were revealed the efforts to find the truth would not have been as effective - at least not until other crimes and another victim started piling up.

The heat between Wyatt and Gwen is palpable. The characters are nicely defined.
while I did not consider this a HEA ending, I am looking forward to finding out what will happen next.






Book 2: Mr. Serious
Available September 21 - Pre-Order Now! 

Book 3: Mr. Taken
Available October 17 - Pre-Order Now!

Book 4: Ms. Demeanor
Available November 21 - Pre-Order Now!


Danica Winters is a Nielsen BookScan and an Amazon bestselling author who has won multiple awards for writing books that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and occasionally a touch of magic. Most recently, Danica was the winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild’s Paranormal Romantic Suspense Book of the Year Award and Chanticleer Media’s Paranormal Book of the Year for her novel Montana Mustangs.

When she’s not working, she can be found in the wilds of Montana testing her patience while she tries to understand the allure of various crafts (quilting, pottery, and painting are not her thing).  She always believes the cup is neither half full nor half empty, but it better be filled with wine.

Danica Winters is represented by Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.








Comments

  1. Thank you for reviewing and featuring Ms Calculation!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Laura!
    I'm glad you enjoyed the book. Gwen definitely did have to work quickly! I loved writing and creating these characters and I'm glad you could tell that from the book! :) Can't wait to have you read Mr. Serious--I think you are going to love how it works out. :)
    Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for visiting.
I love to hear comments
and like to visit you back.

Popular posts from this blog

Three Days To Forever ~ Lauren Carr

A Fanciful Twist's 8th Annual Virtual MAD TEA Party Extra special, as it is the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland ♥

Alicia Connected: Tricked with Treats by Derek Fisher