Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 2
M.L. Rowland's Search and Rescue mystery series became a favorite of mine from the very first book, Zero-Degree Murder. Rowland is extremely adept at writing action sequences that have you turning the pages as fast as you can go.
But most of the reason for my preference is her main character, Gracie Kinkaid, a very likeable, intelligent, and brave young woman who loves to help others. (Through her, readers also learn how to prepare for emergencies.) Gracie has several personal issues to deal with in Murder on the Horizon: her mother, her stepfather, as well as Rob and Ralph, the two men in her life. Her personal issues are made more difficult because she feels as though she's at a crossroads in her life, and she's not sure what she wants her future to hold. Of course, all heroes have flaws, and one of Gracie's is her impulsiveness. There's a scene with one of the extremists in which Gracie puts herself in unnecessary danger-- a situation that certainly had me wanting to have a heart-to-heart with her about the wisdom of zipping her lip.
Yes, I enjoyed all the action sequences, and yes, I enjoyed putting my nose right in the middle of Gracie's business, but another thing that I found a lot of pleasure in was the relationship between Gracie and Baxter, the little boy who kept running away from his father and all the other extremists in the compound tucked away in the forest. Baxter is funny, smart as a whip, and sometimes very exasperating. A little boy caught in a situation not of his making when all he wants is to be "typical." Baxter made me laugh, and he broke my heart.
Murder on the Horizon has an ending that made me wonder what is going to happen next. One thing I do know for certain is that I hope I'll be seeing Gracie again soon.
But most of the reason for my preference is her main character, Gracie Kinkaid, a very likeable, intelligent, and brave young woman who loves to help others. (Through her, readers also learn how to prepare for emergencies.) Gracie has several personal issues to deal with in Murder on the Horizon: her mother, her stepfather, as well as Rob and Ralph, the two men in her life. Her personal issues are made more difficult because she feels as though she's at a crossroads in her life, and she's not sure what she wants her future to hold. Of course, all heroes have flaws, and one of Gracie's is her impulsiveness. There's a scene with one of the extremists in which Gracie puts herself in unnecessary danger-- a situation that certainly had me wanting to have a heart-to-heart with her about the wisdom of zipping her lip.
Yes, I enjoyed all the action sequences, and yes, I enjoyed putting my nose right in the middle of Gracie's business, but another thing that I found a lot of pleasure in was the relationship between Gracie and Baxter, the little boy who kept running away from his father and all the other extremists in the compound tucked away in the forest. Baxter is funny, smart as a whip, and sometimes very exasperating. A little boy caught in a situation not of his making when all he wants is to be "typical." Baxter made me laugh, and he broke my heart.
Murder on the Horizon has an ending that made me wonder what is going to happen next. One thing I do know for certain is that I hope I'll be seeing Gracie again soon.
Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed Murder on the Horizon (Search and Rescue, Bk 3) on + 658 more book reviews
Dollycas's Thoughts
M.L. Rowland continues to top herself.
With the wildfires and drought in the news this third installment of the Search and Rescue Mysteries is especially topical. Gracie and the other team members are on standby and the community is on high alert as the Santa Ana winds could shift at any moment and put Timber Creek and Camp Ponderosa right in the path of the wildfire that is ravaging the nearby mountains.
In addition to the fires, the SAR crew makes an heart stopping discovery in the desert and a 10 year old boy is a frequent cause of concern as he keeps running away from home with the team being called out to search for him. Gracie befriends the child and his grandmother to try to get to the bottom of his story. What she learns will have readers glued to the pages.
Gracie has just become the manager of Camp Ponderosa after the huge shake up that took place in Murder Off The Beaten Path. She is working with a smaller crew to finish out this season and that keeps her pretty busy without much spare time. The reason I truly enjoy this character is because she always goes above and beyond expectations. She makes time for people in need and works hard to earn their trust and really get to know them.
We meet several new characters in this story and some will truly touch your heart, others will have you thinking twice and some are just downright scary. Rowland brings them all roaring to life in a way that will totally grab onto you and not let go.
The suspense in this story builds and builds as we follow Gracie down several paths we wish she wouldn't travel. At one point she gets herself into such a dire circumstance I was literally cringing as I was reading.
Rowland not only writes a fantastic suspense filled story but she describes the Timber Creek area so perfectly that it is so incredibly easy to escape right into this book. You are driving down the roads or hiking up the paths or running along plateau right along with Gracie and sometimes her dog, Minnie. Sometimes you wish you were really there to protect or help her.
I have enjoyed all 3 books in this series very much. Each one even more than the last. This one ends with Gracie at a crossroad in a her life and I am really looking forward to her next adventure wherever it takes her.
M.L. Rowland continues to top herself.
With the wildfires and drought in the news this third installment of the Search and Rescue Mysteries is especially topical. Gracie and the other team members are on standby and the community is on high alert as the Santa Ana winds could shift at any moment and put Timber Creek and Camp Ponderosa right in the path of the wildfire that is ravaging the nearby mountains.
In addition to the fires, the SAR crew makes an heart stopping discovery in the desert and a 10 year old boy is a frequent cause of concern as he keeps running away from home with the team being called out to search for him. Gracie befriends the child and his grandmother to try to get to the bottom of his story. What she learns will have readers glued to the pages.
Gracie has just become the manager of Camp Ponderosa after the huge shake up that took place in Murder Off The Beaten Path. She is working with a smaller crew to finish out this season and that keeps her pretty busy without much spare time. The reason I truly enjoy this character is because she always goes above and beyond expectations. She makes time for people in need and works hard to earn their trust and really get to know them.
We meet several new characters in this story and some will truly touch your heart, others will have you thinking twice and some are just downright scary. Rowland brings them all roaring to life in a way that will totally grab onto you and not let go.
The suspense in this story builds and builds as we follow Gracie down several paths we wish she wouldn't travel. At one point she gets herself into such a dire circumstance I was literally cringing as I was reading.
Rowland not only writes a fantastic suspense filled story but she describes the Timber Creek area so perfectly that it is so incredibly easy to escape right into this book. You are driving down the roads or hiking up the paths or running along plateau right along with Gracie and sometimes her dog, Minnie. Sometimes you wish you were really there to protect or help her.
I have enjoyed all 3 books in this series very much. Each one even more than the last. This one ends with Gracie at a crossroad in a her life and I am really looking forward to her next adventure wherever it takes her.
Cyndi J. (cyndij) reviewed Murder on the Horizon (Search and Rescue, Bk 3) on + 1031 more book reviews
Third in the series, this entry finds Gracie Kinkaid managing a summer camp as well as volunteering for Search and Rescue. I've liked this series since the beginning; I always like mysteries about the outdoors and I am familiar with the area Rowland writes about. Her fictional Timber Creek is modeled on Big Bear, CA. I spent several years volunteering with the Forest Service near there, and it's so much fun to track where Gracie goes and picture the areas in my head. I wasn't part of SAR but those scenes are very detailed and real.
Gracie is a smart independent woman but has some emotional issues to work on. She's happy living alone in a bare-bones cabin with her dog, but at the same time craves friendships. The relationship between Gracie and ten-year-old Baxter is sweet and touching. The discovery in the very beginning fades out, but small references through the story show that it will be answered in the end.
The ending of this book could be the end of the series, although it does leave open the possibility of new adventures for Gracie. Because of that plus some relationship sub-plots, an interested reader should start with the first book, ZERO DEGREE MURDER
Gracie is a smart independent woman but has some emotional issues to work on. She's happy living alone in a bare-bones cabin with her dog, but at the same time craves friendships. The relationship between Gracie and ten-year-old Baxter is sweet and touching. The discovery in the very beginning fades out, but small references through the story show that it will be answered in the end.
The ending of this book could be the end of the series, although it does leave open the possibility of new adventures for Gracie. Because of that plus some relationship sub-plots, an interested reader should start with the first book, ZERO DEGREE MURDER
