Canter with a Killer by Amber Camp Book Review

About the Book

Mallory Martin left her marriage and her unfulfilling job to move back to her hometown of Hillspring, Arkansas, and start a horse rescue. It’s everything she’s been missing, with paddocks of happy horses and one very quirky donkey. But when her cantankerous neighbor and longtime critic, Albert Cunningham, is found murdered in his fancy show barn, Mallory becomes suspect number one. Since Sheriff Grady Sullivan is ignoring all good sense and focusing only on Mallory, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Aided by her best friend, Lanie, and rescue volunteer Tanner, Mallory races headlong into the investigation in search of the real killer. But horses and murder aren’t the only thing on her mind when she meets Albert’s handsome son, Braydon. Sparks fly, and soon she’s got a new boyfriend. But there’s a case to be solved, and she redoubles her efforts to learn the truth.

The suspects mount quickly. There’s Albert’s girlfriend, Kathleen, who was on the farm when he was murdered; organic farmer Heather Rogers, who accused Albert of contaminating her creek; and Philip Atwood, who’d been trying for a right-of-way across Albert’s farm. None of the evidence is holding up though, and Mallory learns that she’ll need to take the reins on this investigation if she’s going to clear her own name.

My Review

I was impressed with this debut mystery from Camp. The plotted mystery is pretty good as the murder seemed reasonable considering the circumstances. I usually do not like the heroine and amateur sleuth going off on her own, making mistakes and incriminating herself with evidence toward conviction. In this novel, however, Mallory is well characterized as desperate to prove herself innocent. And rightly so as it seems the sheriff, though a longtime friend, is by no means her advocate.

I liked this cozy mystery. There is the setting of horse farms, a well developed heroine, suspects galore, a suspenseful end and an unusual hero in the end. The villain might not be a surprise to some readers as there were clues but the mystery was well plotted. There is a hint of romance too, well done.

I liked this debut effort and will be watching for more from Camp.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author

Amber Camp has always had a love for mysteries and settings you can get lost in. She discovered cozy mysteries in college and fell in love with the genre.

She has lived in Northwest Arkansas for twenty years, working as an RN at a rural hospital in the area. She has a menagerie of animals that includes dogs, cats, horses, and what has been described as the Mule from Hell, which may or may not be a slight exaggeration.

Writing has always been a focus in her life, something she describes as “food for my soul.” An avid reader since grade school, she enjoys multiple genres and is always looking for new authors to add to her favorites. Find out more at https://www.ambercampauthor.com/   Photo credit: Madison Camp.

Crooked Land Books, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)