A Reference to Murder

Kym Roberts

May 2017 · A Book Barn Mystery Book 2 · Lyrical Press

About this ebook

The rodeo’s in town, and a Texas bookstore owner may have to lasso a killer . . . “The conclusion proves to be as unexpected as it is satisfying.” —Kings River Life. Magazine 
 
Charli Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas, spending her time reading, collecting, and selling books—at least, the ones that don’t get eaten first by her father’s pet armadillo. Running the family bookstore is a demanding job, but solving murders on the side can be flat out dangerous . . .
 
The Book Barn is more than just a shop, it’s a part of the community—and Charli is keeping busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. That includes dealing with the Texas-sized egos of some celebrity cowboys, including Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets overly rowdy one night with the local hairdresser . . . and soon afterward, disappears into thin air.
 
Dalton’s brother also vanished seven years ago—and Charli is thrown about whether Dalton is a villain or a victim. After a close call with an assailant wielding a branding iron (that plays havoc with her hair), and some strange vandalism on her property, she’s going to have to team up with the sheriff to untangle this mystery, before she gets gored . . .
 
“Fans of the mysteries by Joan Hess and Margaret Maron will find much to appreciate in this series, which highlights the humor of Southern culture while simultaneously celebrating it.” —Kings River LifeMagazine

Ratings and reviews

One of the things I like about this book is the author’s creation of a biracial heroine in this mystery series. It is refreshing to see this inclusiveness, and the candid insights the author expresses through her heroine. Therefore,I was somewhat surprised to hear the protagonist, Charlie or Princess, as she is also known, express pride in the Alamo, when shee explained that many Texans carried guns perhaps because they were outnumbered and outgunnedat the Alamo. While history may be taught that way in Texas, Charlie is described as a rather bright, intellectually curious and well read former teacher. That and her bi racial heritage might have led her to the knowledge that the plantation owners in what would become Texas did not like the fact that Mexico had abolished slavery. The war with Mexico was opposed by then Senator Abraham Lincoln. It would ring truer to Charlie’s character, and enable the author to take the book to a more nuanced and informative level, if this were acknowledged. It was the one false note in an otherwise gripping and well plotted mystery.

Charli Rae is back! She has settled back into the nuttiness that is Hazel Rock. She is still wondering why she cares what Cade gets up to, when he has ignored her for months. Then there is Mateo, a man who makes a brown cop uniform look good! He seems to be interested in her but at the same time is keeping his distance. So at the moment the only man in her life is her dad. He helps around the store, helps with the craft classes and generally makes her life easier. The Cowboy Ranch Invitational is a big deal to the town and a much needed way to raise funds for a local charity. When Scarlett takes up with Dalton, one of the rising stars, she sets the town gossips jaws wagging. But not as much as they do when Dalton goes missing, just like his brother did after being seen with Scarlet several years before! Charli is quick to defend Scarlett and sets out to find Dalton and tear him a new one for what he has done to Scarlett. But has he really vanished? Is he hiding out? Is it a media stunt? As the story unfurls we learn that not every one is what they seem. Charli also seems to find herself with another potential beau to muddy the romantic pool further! I love this series so hard! Princess the armadillo is such a character herself! Eve's gate continues to weed out the bad eggs and Hazel Rock, population 2000 odd souls continues to rack up the dead bodies! Charli is in such a quandary over her love life, she just can't seem to decide what and who she wants. One of my favourite scenes is near the end of the book where 3 certain clowns entertain Charli and the masses. I just loved that even though they may have different opinions on what Charli means to them and how she fits in their lives, they are willing to work together to keep her happy, safe and cherished! I'm dreading the wait for book 3!!

The second book in Kym Robert's Book Barn Mystery series, A REFERENCE TO MURDER, is about danger and intrigue in a quirky and delightful small town. The heroine, Charli Rae Warren... or Princess, as most of the town calls her no matter how many times she asks them not to, is back in town to run her family's business, The Book Barn Princess. Charli shares her nickname and her apartment above the shop with her father's very pampered pet armadillo. Charli's best friend is Scarlett, who owns the local hair salon which is conveniently right next door to the Book Barn. Scarlett has a thing for bull riders, specifically Dalton Hibbs. Dalton just happens to be the younger brother of Wyatt Hibbs, also a bull rider, but he's been missing for the past seven years. The town is also home to a retirement ranch of sorts for rodeo cowboys no longer able to ride the circuit, due to injury or age. The ranch hosts a large annual rodeo as a fundraiser for expenses and the whole town does their part. The Cowboys that will be competing are in town to prepare and to help with promotion for the event. When Dalton goes missing, just like his brother had, everyone is looking at Scarlett. Charli can't have that so rather than wait for the Sheriff to clear her friend's name she starts investigating on her own. A Reference to Murder is a well written mystery with plenty of danger and suspense as Charli and her friends get their selves into all kinds of trouble while trying to solve the crime. There's also plenty of humor, loveable characters, and a little romance. Charli's habit of finding (or causing) trouble wherever she goes has more than one man completely frustrated with how to handle her... but also more than one who'd be more than happy to give it a shot if only Charli would notice. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for more Book Barn Princess mysteries. 4.5 stars ~Downloaded a copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

About the author

Three career paths resonated for Kym Roberts during her early childhood: detective, investigative reporter, and... nun. Being a nun, however, dropped by the wayside when she became aware of boys—they were the spice of life she couldn't deny. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners and met every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that point on there was no stopping Kym's pursuit of a career in law enforcement. Kym followed her dream and became a detective who fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk—a badge. Promoted to sergeant, Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband dragged her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head. Visit her on the web at kymroberts.com.