4 character-driven short mysteries set in frontier Canada and steeped in whimsy
**From award-winning author Alexandra Amor**
Over 350 pages of quirky charm and old-fashioned values, with some modern themes for good measure, the Town Called Horse short mystery collection is the love child of Miss Marple and Little House on the Prairie.
Constable Jack Merrick, blacksmith Walter Sheehan, and schoolteacher Julia Thom each take a turn solving crime in the tiny town of Horse, set on the very edge of the Canadian frontier. Mysteries surrounding missing children, stolen jewelry, sunken steamboats, and a lady of ill repute or two are no match for this tenacious and kindhearted trio.
THE OUTSIDE OF A HORSE #1
June 1889. When Pastor Thoreson's sister-in-law arrives in the town called Horse she immediately becomes the victim of a crime. With Constable Jack Merrick deep in the early stages of grief over losing his wife, his good friend Walter Sheehan is pressed into service to try to solve the mystery. With assistance from close friends, Walt must find a way to help the Thoresons before Merrick's superiors discover his absence.
WATER HORSE #2
July 1889. The Town Called Horse is staggered when its connection to the outside world is cut off. Arthur 'Sully' Sullivan's passenger and freight ship has burned in the night. There are no witnesses, no clues, and any evidence that might have existed has been swallowed by the lake.
Constable Jack Merrick, still reeling from the premature death of his beloved wife, finds himself challenged with the task of figuring out if the boat's destruction was an accident or deliberate sabotage. Complicating things are the unexpected appearance of Sully's brother, who the ship's captain can't seem to keep himself from attacking. And who is the small, strange man with raptor eyes hanging about at the lakefront?
THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON #3
November 1890. A young woman in a questionable profession has been attacked, but she has no recollection of the events leading up to the attack. Julia Thom risks her job and her personal reputation to help Constable Jack Merrick find the culprit.
When a powerful local landowner gets involved, matters become messier and by the end of the day, Julia and Merrick have a longer suspect list than when they started.
Complicating matters, Julia finds herself having unfamiliar and unwelcome feelings about the local constable. She was decidedly more comfortable when they weren't getting along.
A ONE HORSE OPEN SLEIGH #4
December 1890. When a toddler goes missing at Christmas, Constable Jack Merrick answers the call for help. Tagging along, Julia Thom, schoolteacher and part-time sleuth, finds herself pressed into service to help solve the mystery of the missing boy.
As winter darkness and cold descend, little Henry's family becomes more frantic about his whereabouts, and Julia knows time is running out to find the boy. Who in the seemingly close-knit family wanted the child to disappear?
Fans of Murdoch Mysteries and Netflix's Godless will love award-winning author Alexandra Amor's heartfelt examination of life on the Canadian frontier. This series is perfect for readers who like their mysteries with well-drawn characters and a lot of heart.
