by Diana Hockley

Details at the end of this post on how to win an ebook copy of A Dead Red Miracle, along with a link to purchase the book.

Wishbone, the tiny border town featured in this story, should really have been called “funnybone” as Lalla and Pearlie’s antics get into their stride.

It is three years on from when Lalla, her dad, and Pearlie arrived in Arizona to take over Lalla’s inheritance, a property left her by her aunt. Lalla has finally married Caleb—thank goodness—and he has been elected sheriff of Wishbone. Lalla’s father is awash in widows and casseroles. His dog, the charismatic Hoover, is now an air search-and-rescue dog, which means that he finds missing people by sniffing the air rather than following a ground trail.

Since we last heard from Lalla and Pearlie, they’ve bought into a private investigation business and persuaded the owner, Ron Barbour, to apprentice them as trainees. At the end of the three years it takes for them to earn their licenses, Ron has agreed to give them the credentials necessary for the state board to grant their ‘badges” and they are to pay the final amount to buy into the business. Everything is set for the big occasion that is coming up fast. Things go downhill, however, when Ron is murdered!

Lalla and Pearlie are in the chase to solve Ron’s murder but as luck would have it, two more murders ensue. How are the ladies going to solve all the murders and get their licenses without Ron’s letter of recommendation to the board?

Managing Ron’s two ex-wives (who are smarter than they look), staying a jump ahead of the murderer, and keeping Caleb calm is par for the course where Lalla is concerned. I just know we are going to get more of these intrepid investigators, particularly as Pearlie might be finding a good bloke at last!

What I find delightful about R.P. Dahlke’s books is the likable characters and the energy of the action. Without being over the top, Dahlke’s books spring to life and whisk the reader through the plot, with laughter along for the ride.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest in the Dead Red series and am looking forward to the next! A Dead Red Miracle is the latest in an impressive list of titles starting with Dead Red Cadillac. Following are Dead Red Heart, Dead Red Oleander, and Dead Red Alibi.

To enter to win an ebook copy of A Dead Red Miracle, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Miracle,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 5, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

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Diana Hockley is an Australian mystery author who lives in a southeast Queensland country town. She is the devoted slave of five ratties & usually finds an excuse to mention them in her writing, including her recent novel, The Naked Room. Since retiring from running a traveling mouse circus for 10 years, she is now the mouse judge for the Queensland Rat & Mouse Club shows. To learn more, check out her website.