Roughstock

When an old friend is suspected of murdering a wealthy rancher, horse veterinarian Gail McCarthy plunges into her third lively mystery (after Hoofprints, 1996). Gail has left her Santa Cruz, Calif., practice for a few days to attend a veterinary conference near Lake Tahoe, Nev., where she introduces Joanna Lund, a friend from veterinary college, to Jack Hollister, retired vet and Santa Cruz land baron. Jack and Joanna go to a casino overlooking Lake Tahoe; the next day, Jack's body is found in the lake and Joanna is a prime suspect. Returning to Santa Cruz, Gail tries to clear Joanna by looking for other suspects, starting with Jack's three ex-wives, who all stand to inherit a bundle: Tara, a cruel horse trainer; Laney, a sexy 40-year-old who's dating one of Jack's ranch hands; and Karen, who turns out to be no stranger to Joanna. When Gail discovers that, before he was killed, Jack was trying to sell the ranch to developers, two of his ranch hands join the list of suspects. Crum spurs the reader on with short, crisp chapters. She endows Gail with an endearing love of animals, a warm appreciation of the Western landscape and an affable boyfriend who lets her call the shots. Including a thrilling, cinematic chase scene on horseback, it all adds up to a satisfying mystery with lots of heart. (Aug.)