A Reference to Murder

By Kym Roberts

Charli Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas, spending her time reading, collecting, and selling books—at least, the ones that don’t get eaten first by her father’s pet armadillo. Running the family bookstore is a demanding job, but solving murders on the side can be flat out dangerous . . .

The Book Barn is more than just a shop, it’s a part of the community—and Charli is keeping busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. That includes dealing with the Texas-sized egos of some celebrity cowboys, including Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets overly rowdy one night with the local hairdresser . . . and soon afterward, disappears into thin air.

Dalton’s brother also vanished seven years ago—and Charli is thrown about whether Dalton is a villain or a victim. After a close call with an assailant wielding a branding iron (that plays havoc with her hair), and some strange vandalism on her property, she’s going to have to team up with the sheriff to untangle this mystery, before she gets gored . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: May 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781601837332

Kym Roberts

Three career paths resonated for Kym Roberts during her early childhood: detective, investigative reporter, and . . . nun. Being a nun, however, dropped by the wayside when she became aware of boys—they were the spice of life she couldn't deny. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners and met every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that point on there was no stopping Kym's pursuit of a career in law enforcement. Kym followed her dream and became a detective who fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk—a badge. Promoted to sergeant, Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband dragged her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head. Visit her on the web at kymroberts.com.

Reviews for A Reference to Murder

[ginduperre · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Reference to Murder
Author; Kym Roberts
Publisher: Lyrical Underground

Charli (Princess) Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas after many years. Working in her father’s bookshop, The Book Barn leaves her a lot of free time to buy and sell, as well as read book. She takes over the running the bookstore with gusto and is happy for most of the time, except when there is a murderer on the loose.

Charli keeps busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. All of this means dealing with big egos, including that of the favorite cowboy Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets drunk and disappears.

Dalton’s brother vanished seven years ago, and it looks like Dalton is following in his footsteps. She comes across two graves in the middle of nowhere while looking for him, she along with everyone else believes the bodies to be those of Dalton and his missing brother. But when fingers start pointing at her best friend, Scarlet she teams up with the local sheriff to find the killer.

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Kym Roberts has crafted a fast-paced, easy to follow the story. Her characters are rounded and developed and very believable and a good representation of the town and the main focus of the plot. Charli gets into more trouble than anyone could even imagine and this makes her very likable. She also puts her nose where it doesn’t belong and almost gets it cut off for the effort. The interaction between her, Scarlet and the principle characters is full of action

It is difficult to figure out which of the men in her life, Cade or Mateo is the real love interest. Although both characters are interesting, they are both equally hard to understand where Charli is concerned. This situation is a real problem for Charli as she tries to figure out which man she wants to be with if either or any. Although the killer was somewhat obvious the villain's motive was not until the very end.

This is an enjoyable read and should appeal to readers who like a bit of country and a cozy that lets your imagination roam. This book is recommended.