Trouble in Action
by Susan Y. Tanner
Series: Trouble Cat Mysteries #10
Series Rating:
Published by KaliOka Press on July 8, 2019
Setting: North Carolina
Genres: Animal Romantic Traditional Mystery
Pages: 266
Format: Kindle, Paperback
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Familiar Trouble , Trouble in Dixie , Trouble in Tallahassee , Trouble in Summer Valley, Small Town Trouble , Trouble's Wedding Caper, Trouble in Paradise , Trouble Under the Mistletoe, Turning for Trouble, Bone-a-fied Trouble , Trouble Most Faire, A Trouble'd Christmas
REENACTORS, VINTAGE WEAPONS, and TWO DEAD BODIES!
Kylah West has faith in her horses and her skill to ride them in a reenactment of the Civil War battle of Albrecht Creek. Still suffering from her husband’s suicide, Kylah’s only focus is work. But her concentration is broken when she meets U.S. Marshal Wolf Stockton and the body of a young reenactor is found, shot through the heart with a vintage rifle.
Is it revenge, an accidental shooting, or a hint that opposing forces in the community are boiling over? Those questions turn personal for Wolf and Kylah when her life is endangered. Into the exciting world of stunt riders, tension between the university sponsoring the reenactment and a Cherokee nation tired of being wrongly blamed for everything, strolls Trouble, black cat detective.
Trouble attaches to Kylah when he realizes her vulnerability. He works with Wolf to determine who is behind the murders—and who is attempting to ambush Kylah and her horses as she gives the key performance of the reenactment. As the feline races the clock to keep Kylah safe, he also realizes the two bipeds have another deep need—for each other. He must help solve the mystery while showing his humans the path to true love.
Trouble in Action by Susan Y. Tanner is a fantastic mystery with lots of twists, turns, romance, and, of course, Trouble.
Antique weapons, civil war uniforms, and murder, what has Trouble gotten into now?
Kylah West
Kylah is professionally known as K.T. West. She is a horse trainer/stunt woman who usually works in Hollywood, but she has been contracted to do a Civil War reenactment in Albrecht Creek, North Carolina. Kylah is a widow who is finally getting over her husband’s death.
I like Kylah. She is strong, intelligent, and faces life head-on. At first, I wasn’t sure what was going through her head, but once I understood, she made the perfectly damaged heroine. I also like her loyalty to her friend Jake and even her acceptance of Trouble.
Wolf Stockman
Wolf is a US Marshall but spends most of his time working with local teenagers. He has lived in Albrecht Creek and the surrounding hills his whole life. Wolf is a person that people come to with their problems, and he does his best to help them. Much as with Kylah, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Wolf or not. Yet, right away, he proves how much of a gentleman he is.
Wolf is a man of integrity, honesty, and manners. The most endearing is that he is kind to animals. He immediately saw that Trouble wasn’t your ordinary black cat and treated him with respect. The way he carries himself and handles those in charge of him is caring but not too forward. He is a good guy.
The Mystery
Albrecht University and the Albrecht Historical Society have put together a reenactment of a Civil War battle. Kylah is hired to play one of the Calvary leads with her horses, adding to the actual feel of the battle. At the same time, several other participants are at the fairgrounds for the many different parts required. I have never been to a reenactment, but I can only assume the amount of people it would take to make that happen. What a place for a murder? People are camping everywhere, wearing all different types of uniforms, street clothes, and the like. There are locals mixed with the reenactors and students who are there to watch. Good luck trying to find the person who killed the lady and why.
Amid the mystery is the romance, which is put together well. I enjoyed the banter of the two trying to figure each other out. Wolf and Kylah seem made for each other. Well, the person that each is in this part of their lives.
I love how Ms. Tanner introduces Tammy Lynn to Trouble’s newest wards. She even gives them a heads-up about his talent and a way to contact Tammy Lynn when Trouble has solved the case and is ready to go home.
Five Stars
My rating for Trouble in Action by Susan Y. Tanner is five stars. I love these mysteries and the way they give Trouble’s point of view and that of the investigating couple. I recommend these stories. Each book can be read alone or with the others. I am hoping to catch up on this series this year.
Trouble Cat Mysteries
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Trouble in Action by Susan Y. Tanner.
Until the next time,
About Susan Y. Tanner
Susan Yawn Tanner is published in historical romance as Susan Tanner. Her novels, Highland Captive, Captive to A Dream, Exiled Heart, Fire Across Texas and Winds Across Texas as well as A Warm Southern Christmas (part of a Christmas anthology), were all published by Leisure Books in the early ‘90’s.
Writing as Susan Y. Tanner, Ms. Tanner’s latest venture is a ‘series within a series’ of romantic mysteries showcasing one smart feline named Trouble. Because Ms. Tanner is a horse lover as well as a cat lover, her Trouble books all have backstories which feature the world of horses. Published by KaliOka Press, these books are part of the Familiar Legacy series written in concert with some very talented authors. Trouble in Summer Valley was released in 2017, Turning for Trouble in 2018, and Trouble in Action is slated for 2019.
Ms. Tanner is excited that Secret Staircase Books, an imprint of Columbine Publishing Group, has opted to publish Fire Across Texas and Winds Across Texas, as well as A Warm Southern Christmas, in both print and e-book. This is the first time these titles have been available in e-book. They will be released under the name Susan Yawn Tanner.
Ms. Tanner barrel races and writes with equal enthusiasm.
Photo Credit: Deborah Jones-Kuykendall
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Jenz 2023 Beachcombers Mystery RC
- Jenz 2023 Cloak and Dagger
- Jenz 2023 Goodreads RC
- Jenz 2023 Medical Examiner RC
- Jenz 2023 Six Shooter
Thank you for this review. These Trouble stories hold so much of my heart and soul. I love when the deeper side of them is understood and appreciated!