Peril by Ponytail

Book excerpt: Marla’s honeymoon at an Arizona dude ranch turns deadly when murder threatens to unhorse her new happiness in this award-winning cozy mystery. Hoping for a romantic honeymoon at an Arizona dude ranch, hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton arrive to find a series of mishaps plaguing the resort. A nearby ghost town is suffering similar problems. Is it mere coincidence that Dalton’s Uncle Raymond owns both properties? When Raymond asks for their help in finding the culprit, Marla and Dalton eagerly accept, but the case quickly escalates into murder. With sleuthing more natural to Marla than riding a horse, she delves into the investigation and discovers long-buried family secrets. Suspects include environmental activists, saguaro poachers, water rights advocates, and relatives closer to home. Marla has to saddle up, rein in the clues, and find the killer before she’s forced to join the spirits on the haunted hillside. Third Place Winner in the Arizona Literary Awards! “Peril by Ponytail ropes in the reader in Nancy J. Cohen's captivating new tale, which deftly braids together deadly secrets, long hidden resentments, and romance on the range.” Ellen Byerrum, author of the Crime of Fashion Mysteries