Earlene Fowler, The Saddlemaker's Wife

The Saddlemaker's Wife

Earlene Fowler

Berkley, May 2006, $23.95

ISBN 0425207781

Cole and Ruby McGavin were married six months when he died in an apparent accident, in which his truck was found in the bottom of a ravine. Ruby mourns her sudden loss, but receives a second shocker when she learns that she inherited part of his family spread, the Circle MG Ranch in Cardinal, Tokopah County, California. The stunner is that Cole insisted his entire family died ironically in a car accident near Bakersfield.

Taking Cole's ashes to his hometown, while also planning to sell her share of the ranch, Ruby meets her in-laws. Cole's Aunt Birch is especially welcoming to her, the total opposite of her mother-in-law June, who treats her with disdain and fears she will bankrupt their spread with her quarter share. However, the biggest surprise is Lucas, Cole's younger brother, a former San Francisco lawyer who came home to become an impoverish saddlemaker. He has the same obsession as her, a need to know what drove Cole to deny his family's existence. They team up to learn the truth, but family members are silent, leading them to Cole's friends as their only hope.

Displaying her talent without Benni Harper to help, Agatha Award winner Earlene Fowler provides a deep family drama starring two likable protagonists needing to know the secret that led to Cole's actions. The storyline is character driven, especially indirectly by the late Cole. Fans of powerful psychological thrillers that require a one sitting read will want to know why at least as much as THE SADDLEMAKER'S WIFE needs to know too.