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Cardwell Ranch #1
Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch
After Hudson Savage betrayed her, Dana Cardwell hoped never to lay eyes on the seductive cowboy again. Until a bunch of old bones showed up on her family ranch. Suddenly her former lover was back in her life in a big way—to investigate a decades-old crime.
Five years ago, Hud left town with a heart load of regrets. But now, as acting interim marshal, he had a job to do. And this time he wasn't walking away. Because now Dana's life was on the line—as the unsuspecting target of a killer who still walked the canyon. Hud would do whatever it took to keep Dana close. Even if it meant risking his own heart for a second chance for both of them…250 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 14, 2004
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About the author
B.J. Daniels
512 books1,257 followersB.J. Daniels started her life in Houston, Texas, before her family moved to Montana at age five. She grew up in a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon near Big Sky and later on Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone. Because of her love for Montana, most of her books are set there.
Born into a storytelling family, all she'd ever wanted to do was write stories. After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, she wrote and sold 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book, ODD MAN OUT. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award for romantic suspense.
She lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two Springer Spaniels. When she isn't writing, she quilts, boats and. makes rope/fabric baskets. She always reads, loving to lose herself in a good book.
Born into a storytelling family, all she'd ever wanted to do was write stories. After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, she wrote and sold 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book, ODD MAN OUT. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award for romantic suspense.
She lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two Springer Spaniels. When she isn't writing, she quilts, boats and. makes rope/fabric baskets. She always reads, loving to lose herself in a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
July 4, 2025
This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the first book in the At Cardwell Ranch series. I loved all the crazy drama that was going on in this book, and the mystery/suspense in this book kept me guessing. I loved getting to know all the characters in this book. The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending, and I really hate an ending that leaves me hanging. I do understand that it is something that happens a lot within a series.
June 6, 2018
This was a very good "whodunit" story, who kept me guessing - incorrectly, LOL - about the killer's identity until the end. I could have sworn it was someone else but, when the mystery was solved, it made sense and I wasn't left thinking where the heck that had come from.
The romance part of the book was kind of weak - especially the silly Big Misunderstanding that kept Hud and Dana separated for 5 years - but I knew that beforehand, so it didn't bother me. I read this book mainly for the mystery part, and that was very well done.
Oh, and the guy on the cover is gorgeous! ;)
The romance part of the book was kind of weak - especially the silly Big Misunderstanding that kept Hud and Dana separated for 5 years - but I knew that beforehand, so it didn't bother me. I read this book mainly for the mystery part, and that was very well done.
Oh, and the guy on the cover is gorgeous! ;)
June 19, 2009
If you read enough of my reviews, you'll know that one of my pet peeves is poor editing. "Crime Scene At Cardwell Ranch" by B.J. Daniels suffered from this...which caused me to suffer while reading it.
Five years ago Hud left his small hometown, and his love, behind after he was caught in a compromising situation with his love's sister. Now a mysterious letter and a job offer have hastened his return and Hud intends to get to the bottom of exactly what happened that night. Before he can start his own investigation, he's called out to his ex's ranch where the bones of a body have been found in a well. It doesn't take long for his 'new' case and his own personal case to converge. Pretty much everyone in town seems to be a suspect and his ex is suddenly in the cross-hairs of a killer.
Incorrect words (i.e., ...land looked rung out...um, do you mean wrung?), jumps in locations/scenes, blatant clues and an overwhelming number of unlikeable suspects with motives (not to mention unlikeable victims) left me fairly uncaring about the mystery portion of the story. The 'romance' was G-rated and I though BOTH hero and heroine behaved childishly in the past AND present. Do I really need to say that I didn't enjoy this read?
Five years ago Hud left his small hometown, and his love, behind after he was caught in a compromising situation with his love's sister. Now a mysterious letter and a job offer have hastened his return and Hud intends to get to the bottom of exactly what happened that night. Before he can start his own investigation, he's called out to his ex's ranch where the bones of a body have been found in a well. It doesn't take long for his 'new' case and his own personal case to converge. Pretty much everyone in town seems to be a suspect and his ex is suddenly in the cross-hairs of a killer.
Incorrect words (i.e., ...land looked rung out...um, do you mean wrung?), jumps in locations/scenes, blatant clues and an overwhelming number of unlikeable suspects with motives (not to mention unlikeable victims) left me fairly uncaring about the mystery portion of the story. The 'romance' was G-rated and I though BOTH hero and heroine behaved childishly in the past AND present. Do I really need to say that I didn't enjoy this read?
October 20, 2014
I have been reading paranormal for over a year now. I felt I'd gotten so deep into that world that I wouldn't enjoy a regular romance/suspense book. I WAS WRONG! Not a huge surprise either being wrong, it does happen from time to time.
This was a quick read and very enjoyable. It had all sorts fo twists and turns in it. It was a true "Who Dun It". I kept changing my mind as to who the villan was and I was very surprised by who it actually was. I just didn't see that coming till just before the big reveal.
I read Alathea's review and she said we could call her naive. Well, I'm standing right next to her. I'd also like to thank her for her review that sucked me right it and I'm glad for it.
This was a quick read and very enjoyable. It had all sorts fo twists and turns in it. It was a true "Who Dun It". I kept changing my mind as to who the villan was and I was very surprised by who it actually was. I just didn't see that coming till just before the big reveal.
I read Alathea's review and she said we could call her naive. Well, I'm standing right next to her. I'd also like to thank her for her review that sucked me right it and I'm glad for it.
March 17, 2012
This is another 3.5. Which shocks the hell out of me. I keep reading these little Harlequin books hoping to like them and most of the time they are two-stars. The real shame of it is that this is a free book. It has been free for years, while the other ones cost money.
The only real complaints I had were:
-The slow reveal of what happened five years ago. I hate that. Stop mentioning and dropping hints about this mysterious five years ago and just tell me what the hell happened! I had already guessed one part of it by page 25 yet it wasn't revealed in the story until page 110.
-A chunk of the book passes with not much happening.
-Small details: there are a couple of typos, and confusion of secondary character names. For instance, in one chapter a deputy is introduced as Liza Turner, and a few chapters later she calls herself Deputy Stone while another deputy is Norm Turner.
-Dana bordered on too stupid to live. She certainly did some things that fall squarely in the TSTL category.
I liked the mystery and how it played out. Some parts of it were easily guessed, but I still had to wait until everything was revealed to get how it all came together. While, in the end, parts of it were a little confused, I still appreciated the story.
I liked that Dana maintained her anger against her sister, Hud (even with giving into physical urges), and her other siblings. I like that the truth had to come out first and that it wasn't all convenient just to get everybody together again.
I liked Hud. While I think he should have stayed around and fought instead of running away, he was a solid character and you could kind of understand his faults.
Even the typical clean ending wrap up was fine with me, including this one plot point brought up throughout the book that screamed CONVENIENT CONTRIVED RESOLUTION just made me laugh and smile. Maybe because I knew it was coming, or because I had started to think it wasn't going to come and when it did I was like "THERE IT IS!" Or, and this is probably the greater reason, it screwed over a very unlikeable character.
On paper, I think, I really shouldn't have liked this story, but something in the way it was written made it an entertaining, enjoyable read for me.
The only real complaints I had were:
-The slow reveal of what happened five years ago. I hate that. Stop mentioning and dropping hints about this mysterious five years ago and just tell me what the hell happened! I had already guessed one part of it by page 25 yet it wasn't revealed in the story until page 110.
-A chunk of the book passes with not much happening.
-Small details: there are a couple of typos, and confusion of secondary character names. For instance, in one chapter a deputy is introduced as Liza Turner, and a few chapters later she calls herself Deputy Stone while another deputy is Norm Turner.
-Dana bordered on too stupid to live. She certainly did some things that fall squarely in the TSTL category.
I liked the mystery and how it played out. Some parts of it were easily guessed, but I still had to wait until everything was revealed to get how it all came together. While, in the end, parts of it were a little confused, I still appreciated the story.
I liked that Dana maintained her anger against her sister, Hud (even with giving into physical urges), and her other siblings. I like that the truth had to come out first and that it wasn't all convenient just to get everybody together again.
I liked Hud. While I think he should have stayed around and fought instead of running away, he was a solid character and you could kind of understand his faults.
Even the typical clean ending wrap up was fine with me, including this one plot point brought up throughout the book that screamed CONVENIENT CONTRIVED RESOLUTION just made me laugh and smile. Maybe because I knew it was coming, or because I had started to think it wasn't going to come and when it did I was like "THERE IT IS!" Or, and this is probably the greater reason, it screwed over a very unlikeable character.
On paper, I think, I really shouldn't have liked this story, but something in the way it was written made it an entertaining, enjoyable read for me.
April 18, 2014
I don't remember how this Harlequin "Romance & Mystery" book came into my possession. I know I didn't buy it. The cover says "Enjoy this free book" so somehow, somewhere, I picked it up. For free. But the other day I wanted something dumb to read and lo and behold! my eyes spied this book on my shelf. My brain was happy--it barely had to turn itself on to read this book and I was amused for a few hours.
Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch (a boring, if precise, title) is meh. I mean, it's a Harlequin romance book so I didn't really expect much and that's exactly what I got. However, it's entertaining enough as long as you don't expect logic in the mystery or passion in the love affair. If you like steamy sex scenes, this is NOT the book for you. The lovemaking dissolves in rainbows and unicorns. Awwww. A woman's body (well, her bones) are found in a long-disused water well on the Cardwell ranch. The temporary marshal just so happens to be Dana Cardwell's ex-fiance, Hud Savage. Cue the fireworks when Hud and Dana meet again after five years! Dana has to deal with Hud's return to town and all the unresolved feelings (anger and passion--a saucy mix) she has for him. Hud has to deal with the shame he still feels for how he left town...and he still loves Dana. Of course he does. She's brave, feisty, and beautiful. I'd love her too if I were Hud. So the mystery, along with who killed the woman who unfortunately ended up in the well, grows to include threats against Dana, the rightful ownership of the ranch, and a few other things. The mystery is actually not half bad and the story flies along at a decent pace. Granted, it's all rather dumb, but the entertainment value is fairly decent (particularly for a free book).
Once the villain is exposed, it's a kind of wtf moment because I had a hard time believing this person had the necessary skills and stamina to do all these shenanigans. The logic is a bit convoluted. But what the hell. It's a Harlequin romance novel. I'll go with it. The romance between Dana and Hud (what a stupid name) is bland. His reason for leaving town is dumb and reveals him to be a coward. And stupid. Dana's likeable enough, but she's bland and kinda stupid too. I also felt she didn't spend enough time with her aging dog. She left him alone too much. The name of her fabric store is "Needles and Pins." Wtf. The saying is: "pins and needles." Why not just go with that? Switching the order just sounds weird. I also don't believe the store would be as busy as it is portrayed, but what do I know. I haven't seriously crafted anything since eighth grade home ec with Mrs. Wilson. Anyway: it was free book. It was worth a few hours of brain-dead entertainment.
Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch (a boring, if precise, title) is meh. I mean, it's a Harlequin romance book so I didn't really expect much and that's exactly what I got. However, it's entertaining enough as long as you don't expect logic in the mystery or passion in the love affair. If you like steamy sex scenes, this is NOT the book for you. The lovemaking dissolves in rainbows and unicorns. Awwww. A woman's body (well, her bones) are found in a long-disused water well on the Cardwell ranch. The temporary marshal just so happens to be Dana Cardwell's ex-fiance, Hud Savage. Cue the fireworks when Hud and Dana meet again after five years! Dana has to deal with Hud's return to town and all the unresolved feelings (anger and passion--a saucy mix) she has for him. Hud has to deal with the shame he still feels for how he left town...and he still loves Dana. Of course he does. She's brave, feisty, and beautiful. I'd love her too if I were Hud. So the mystery, along with who killed the woman who unfortunately ended up in the well, grows to include threats against Dana, the rightful ownership of the ranch, and a few other things. The mystery is actually not half bad and the story flies along at a decent pace. Granted, it's all rather dumb, but the entertainment value is fairly decent (particularly for a free book).
Once the villain is exposed, it's a kind of wtf moment because I had a hard time believing this person had the necessary skills and stamina to do all these shenanigans. The logic is a bit convoluted. But what the hell. It's a Harlequin romance novel. I'll go with it. The romance between Dana and Hud (what a stupid name) is bland. His reason for leaving town is dumb and reveals him to be a coward. And stupid. Dana's likeable enough, but she's bland and kinda stupid too. I also felt she didn't spend enough time with her aging dog. She left him alone too much. The name of her fabric store is "Needles and Pins." Wtf. The saying is: "pins and needles." Why not just go with that? Switching the order just sounds weird. I also don't believe the store would be as busy as it is portrayed, but what do I know. I haven't seriously crafted anything since eighth grade home ec with Mrs. Wilson. Anyway: it was free book. It was worth a few hours of brain-dead entertainment.
May 11, 2009
I just love “short” Harlequin stories. They’re just long enough to cram everything in without the whole thing seeming hurried and short enough to finish it elegantly without the plot-dragging devices and predictable turns.
This book is one of such stories. The suspense was nicely done, even had some traces of a thriller in it, and surprise of all surprise I didn’t see that ending coming. The villain was utterly unexpected for me (yeah, you can call me naïve if you want) and the added bonus of a twist made my jaw drop. Ooh, boy. What a marvelously concocted and twisted plot. Wonderfully planned and masterfully executed.
The romance was a bit so-so for me, it could’ve all been resolved with a lengthy conversation instead of dragging the reader through the dirty-laundry machine. But still, it complimented the story and added a little more of an oomph to the twisted, twisted ending.
Oh, I’ll definitely pick this one up (figuratively speaking, since it’s an ebook) again.
This book is one of such stories. The suspense was nicely done, even had some traces of a thriller in it, and surprise of all surprise I didn’t see that ending coming. The villain was utterly unexpected for me (yeah, you can call me naïve if you want) and the added bonus of a twist made my jaw drop. Ooh, boy. What a marvelously concocted and twisted plot. Wonderfully planned and masterfully executed.
The romance was a bit so-so for me, it could’ve all been resolved with a lengthy conversation instead of dragging the reader through the dirty-laundry machine. But still, it complimented the story and added a little more of an oomph to the twisted, twisted ending.
Oh, I’ll definitely pick this one up (figuratively speaking, since it’s an ebook) again.
May 11, 2020
I liked this book a lot! The second-chance romance was well-written. I enjoyed the focus on the mystery/suspense aspect. There was still some heat, but the mystery sealed the deal for this one being a great read for me. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
I checked this ebook out from my library and I am voluntarily sharing my honest review.
I checked this ebook out from my library and I am voluntarily sharing my honest review.
February 11, 2011
Crime Scene At Cardwell Ranch opens with a woman coming to after falling down a well. Injured and confused, she calls out to her lover, only to have him shoot at her. Fast forward 17 years and Dana Cardwell is starting a very bad day. Her foreman comes to her about some bones in an old well on the property and they call the sheriff in. The old sheriff had just retired and as the new one drives up to conduct the investigation, Dana realizes it's her former fiance, Hudson Savage. Hud left town 5 years ago after waking up in bed with Dana's sister. Dana still hurts from the betrayal and she can barely handle her anger and shock when she realizes he's back in town. When the bones are declared to be human remains, the area is marked as a crime scene and this infuriates Dana's brother Jordan. Turns out that Jordan and her other two siblings have been trying to force Dana into selling the ranch. The crime scene holds up the sale and Jordan is convinced that this is just a ploy to hold on to the ranch. Dana claims that their mother had a second will, but no copy can be found, and the other three Cardwells refuse to admit that their mother spoke them about it.
Hud's investigation forces him to work with his estranged father (the town's former sheriff) and this adds additional stress on Hud. He ran away from a job suspension and his broken engagement five years previously and now he's being forced to confront his past. As he pieces the clues together it begins to look like his father is a suspect. In addition to this Hud wants to fix things with Dana (he claims he was drugged and set up by her sister) but things get difficult when someone begins to go to great lengths to kill her. Hud and Dana try to figure out who killed the woman in the well 17 years ago and whose trying to kill Dana now.
Wow, I'm exhausted. That dinky little synopsis just took it out of me. Crime Scene At Cardwell Ranch was not an enjoyable book for multiple reasons. We'll take them one at a time.
1) The Plot
There are seriously like 3-5 different story lines going on here. There's the dead body; then the mystery of why Hud ran away five years ago; why the sister set him up; hey, some judge got killed, that's a mystery too; a missing will; the troubles between Hud and his dad; the troubles with Dana and her family; the raging jerk Jordan wants to sell that ranch a little too badly (it screams ulterior motives); the attempts to kill Dana; and last but not least, Hud and Dana getting back together. Holy cow, that's way more than 3-5 story lines. They kept crossing over and trying to tease the reader into thinking that things might be connected. It began to get overwhelming trying to keep up with everything. The two or three plots revolving around Dana and Hud's respective families were a bit melodramatic. It seemed like it was there to add tension, confusion, and a little something extra to the characters. It did none of these things.
2)The writing
I'm sure Daniels works very hard on her books, but man, the writing was just clunky and repetitive. There were leaps in logic and plot, character revelations that made no sense, and just too much going on. Sometimes a character would refer to something earlier in the story and I would have no idea what they were talking about. I'd then try to go back and figure out what they were talking about but never could. For example, Dana mentions that one of the characters were spying on her and Hud "the previous night". Really? How did I miss that. I went back to the previous day and night in the book, went over and over it, and I still couldn't figure out when this spying took place. At first I thought it was me, but when the same type of thing happened for the third time, I quit trying to figure out what I missed and chalked it up to poor story telling. (That sounds harsh, but it's true.) And then one of the bad guys totally didn't make sense. Why was this person trying to kill Dana? They're perfectly friendly and normal, they have every reason to be angry with Dana, but the fact that they suddenly turned into a crazy murderer just didn't fit. It was kind of like the author said, "This is the bad guy, and you didn't see it coming because I just made it up! I know it doesn't fit with the story so far, but just go with it!" It was just terrible.
3) The characters
They could all jump off of a bridge and I wouldn't care. Dana's older brother and sister are just horrible and I can understand why she doesn't talk to them. She describes her younger brother Clay as the quiet one who's more likely to duck and cover than confront his siblings. She realizes Clay doesn't like conflict, but she stops talking to him because he's been bullied into agreeing with Jordan on the sale of the ranch. Dana didn't tolerate anyone who didn't agree with her, didn't give any leeway, and was rather unlikeable. (However, you don't get too upset with her for breaking off her engagement, that was understandable.)
Hud is a coward. Instead of standing up for himself and voicing his suspicions, he runs away to work for the LAPD. It's liked he made one or two half hearted attempts to speak with Dana (who was understandably distraught and furious) and just headed for the hills when she wouldn't listen to him. The guy with a history of giving up is supposed to be the tenacious sheriff who hunts down a murder and saves his woman? Whatever. Hud was also pretty wishy washy, always changing his opinions about people. One could argue it's because new evidence came to light, but his opinion of his dad vacillated between good and bad so often that I got dizzy.
I could go on, but I think you've got the drift. It was extra disappointing because Daniel's had a great opening chapter. Writing from the view point of the victim, who was in denial the whole time, it really sucked me in. And then the over the top forced drama started in at chapter two and it was just ruined.
Verdict:
Despite a great opening chapter, the rest of the story was weighed down with poor story telling, unlikable characters, too many story lines, and a ridiculous amount of melodrama. I only finished because I made myself, this one gets 1 star.
Hud's investigation forces him to work with his estranged father (the town's former sheriff) and this adds additional stress on Hud. He ran away from a job suspension and his broken engagement five years previously and now he's being forced to confront his past. As he pieces the clues together it begins to look like his father is a suspect. In addition to this Hud wants to fix things with Dana (he claims he was drugged and set up by her sister) but things get difficult when someone begins to go to great lengths to kill her. Hud and Dana try to figure out who killed the woman in the well 17 years ago and whose trying to kill Dana now.
Wow, I'm exhausted. That dinky little synopsis just took it out of me. Crime Scene At Cardwell Ranch was not an enjoyable book for multiple reasons. We'll take them one at a time.
1) The Plot
There are seriously like 3-5 different story lines going on here. There's the dead body; then the mystery of why Hud ran away five years ago; why the sister set him up; hey, some judge got killed, that's a mystery too; a missing will; the troubles between Hud and his dad; the troubles with Dana and her family; the raging jerk Jordan wants to sell that ranch a little too badly (it screams ulterior motives); the attempts to kill Dana; and last but not least, Hud and Dana getting back together. Holy cow, that's way more than 3-5 story lines. They kept crossing over and trying to tease the reader into thinking that things might be connected. It began to get overwhelming trying to keep up with everything. The two or three plots revolving around Dana and Hud's respective families were a bit melodramatic. It seemed like it was there to add tension, confusion, and a little something extra to the characters. It did none of these things.
2)The writing
I'm sure Daniels works very hard on her books, but man, the writing was just clunky and repetitive. There were leaps in logic and plot, character revelations that made no sense, and just too much going on. Sometimes a character would refer to something earlier in the story and I would have no idea what they were talking about. I'd then try to go back and figure out what they were talking about but never could. For example, Dana mentions that one of the characters were spying on her and Hud "the previous night". Really? How did I miss that. I went back to the previous day and night in the book, went over and over it, and I still couldn't figure out when this spying took place. At first I thought it was me, but when the same type of thing happened for the third time, I quit trying to figure out what I missed and chalked it up to poor story telling. (That sounds harsh, but it's true.) And then one of the bad guys totally didn't make sense. Why was this person trying to kill Dana? They're perfectly friendly and normal, they have every reason to be angry with Dana, but the fact that they suddenly turned into a crazy murderer just didn't fit. It was kind of like the author said, "This is the bad guy, and you didn't see it coming because I just made it up! I know it doesn't fit with the story so far, but just go with it!" It was just terrible.
3) The characters
They could all jump off of a bridge and I wouldn't care. Dana's older brother and sister are just horrible and I can understand why she doesn't talk to them. She describes her younger brother Clay as the quiet one who's more likely to duck and cover than confront his siblings. She realizes Clay doesn't like conflict, but she stops talking to him because he's been bullied into agreeing with Jordan on the sale of the ranch. Dana didn't tolerate anyone who didn't agree with her, didn't give any leeway, and was rather unlikeable. (However, you don't get too upset with her for breaking off her engagement, that was understandable.)
Hud is a coward. Instead of standing up for himself and voicing his suspicions, he runs away to work for the LAPD. It's liked he made one or two half hearted attempts to speak with Dana (who was understandably distraught and furious) and just headed for the hills when she wouldn't listen to him. The guy with a history of giving up is supposed to be the tenacious sheriff who hunts down a murder and saves his woman? Whatever. Hud was also pretty wishy washy, always changing his opinions about people. One could argue it's because new evidence came to light, but his opinion of his dad vacillated between good and bad so often that I got dizzy.
I could go on, but I think you've got the drift. It was extra disappointing because Daniel's had a great opening chapter. Writing from the view point of the victim, who was in denial the whole time, it really sucked me in. And then the over the top forced drama started in at chapter two and it was just ruined.
Verdict:
Despite a great opening chapter, the rest of the story was weighed down with poor story telling, unlikable characters, too many story lines, and a ridiculous amount of melodrama. I only finished because I made myself, this one gets 1 star.
February 4, 2009
Still researching what's hot and new in category romance in the new millennium.
This is my third in the lot of sixteen free downloads, and the one I've most enjoyed so far. There's a mystery at the core of the book, and it's a fairly gripping mystery, well unfolded. In story terms, the mystery aspect is at least the equal of the romance aspect, and the two tie together nicely; I never felt that either part had been tacked on to the other.
The lead couple are more well-rounded than the last two I've encountered; I never felt that they were cardboard cutouts whose only purpose was to fall (back) in love within 55-60,000 words. The heroine, Dana Cardwell, is feisty and active, rather than unassuming and passive, and I can actually imagine this one having something meaningful to do if the improbably named Hudson (Hud) Savage hadn't come back into her life. Similarly, I can imagine Hud carrying on with his life if circumstances hadn't drawn him back to his hometown and the woman he still (of course) loved.
Dana and Hud have (naturally) been separated by lies, hurt and anger, but they've both gone on with their lives, and have other things to think about than each other. She has strained relationships with her alcoholic father and feels increasing pressure to sell the ranch to satisfy her siblings' financial imperatives. He has a lot of guilt, and also struggles with an unpleasable father.
The secondary characters are also quite well drawn, from the various family members to the friends and neighbours, almost all of whom are murder suspects.
Some of the writing could be tighter, I thought, and I'd like to slap whomever allowed "the sun peaked through the clouds" through, but other than that, a good story entertainingly told. I liked it.
This is my third in the lot of sixteen free downloads, and the one I've most enjoyed so far. There's a mystery at the core of the book, and it's a fairly gripping mystery, well unfolded. In story terms, the mystery aspect is at least the equal of the romance aspect, and the two tie together nicely; I never felt that either part had been tacked on to the other.
The lead couple are more well-rounded than the last two I've encountered; I never felt that they were cardboard cutouts whose only purpose was to fall (back) in love within 55-60,000 words. The heroine, Dana Cardwell, is feisty and active, rather than unassuming and passive, and I can actually imagine this one having something meaningful to do if the improbably named Hudson (Hud) Savage hadn't come back into her life. Similarly, I can imagine Hud carrying on with his life if circumstances hadn't drawn him back to his hometown and the woman he still (of course) loved.
Dana and Hud have (naturally) been separated by lies, hurt and anger, but they've both gone on with their lives, and have other things to think about than each other. She has strained relationships with her alcoholic father and feels increasing pressure to sell the ranch to satisfy her siblings' financial imperatives. He has a lot of guilt, and also struggles with an unpleasable father.
The secondary characters are also quite well drawn, from the various family members to the friends and neighbours, almost all of whom are murder suspects.
Some of the writing could be tighter, I thought, and I'd like to slap whomever allowed "the sun peaked through the clouds" through, but other than that, a good story entertainingly told. I liked it.
December 12, 2021
This book is a must read. I liked how the author made Cardwell Ranch the crime scene and how the main story line/plot was built on it. OH sure there were other plots but this book kept me in suspense. The book was suspenseful, mysterious, interesting, a page turner, easy to read and so much more.
I highly recommend the book and will read again in the future.
I highly recommend the book and will read again in the future.
February 16, 2020
“Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch” the first in the “Cardwell Ranch” opens with a decades-old murder, the return of a former lover and Dana’s family conspiring to have their mother’s ranch sold. As Marshal Hudson (Hud) Savage uncovers clues to the investigation, his love and Dana’s is revived although his betrayal she can't forget.
Well-developed and fast-paced into the romance B.J. Daniels weaves an old murder with the bones found at the bottom of a well and the only clues a red shoe and a diamond ring as well as a missing will and a family conflict that has Dana’s sister and brothers joining forces to make her sell the Cardwell ranch. Intensity and suspense continually escalate with a old doll dangling from a rope in the well where the victim’s bones were found; a suspect box of chocolates; and a sinister phone call. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns as the suspect list includes not only members of the Cardwell family but a former marshal. Yet all too quickly the story progresses to an exciting and intriguing climax as the motive for the murder is finally revealed.
Among a host of characters that bind this gripping story together are the determined, soft-hearted Dana Cardwell who’s not only wary of the man who broke her heart but of her family who want the ranch sold; as well as the persistent, resourceful Hud Savage who remembers little of a night five years before that resulted in the loss of the woman he loved.
“Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch” is an exciting combination of romance, intrigue and murder. Like all of the Cardwell novels it's a page-turner from beginning to end.
Well-developed and fast-paced into the romance B.J. Daniels weaves an old murder with the bones found at the bottom of a well and the only clues a red shoe and a diamond ring as well as a missing will and a family conflict that has Dana’s sister and brothers joining forces to make her sell the Cardwell ranch. Intensity and suspense continually escalate with a old doll dangling from a rope in the well where the victim’s bones were found; a suspect box of chocolates; and a sinister phone call. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns as the suspect list includes not only members of the Cardwell family but a former marshal. Yet all too quickly the story progresses to an exciting and intriguing climax as the motive for the murder is finally revealed.
Among a host of characters that bind this gripping story together are the determined, soft-hearted Dana Cardwell who’s not only wary of the man who broke her heart but of her family who want the ranch sold; as well as the persistent, resourceful Hud Savage who remembers little of a night five years before that resulted in the loss of the woman he loved.
“Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch” is an exciting combination of romance, intrigue and murder. Like all of the Cardwell novels it's a page-turner from beginning to end.
August 18, 2019
Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch
4 Stars
When old bones are discovered at the bottom of a well on the old Cardwell homestead, Dana Cardwell is surprised to learn that her former fiancé, Hud Savage, is the new marshal investigating the case. Five years after leaving town, Hud is back and determined to prove that he never betrayed Dana. But will he get the chance not that she has become the target of a killer?
The suspense plot is well-crafted albeit somewhat on the predictable side as it is relatively easy to figure out the killer and the motive.
Dana and Hud's romance is a little on the lackluster side. Their chemistry has potential but never really comes to fruition. That said, the characterization is excellent for such a short category romance. Daniels manages to pack in a great deal of information on the various characters and their backstories.
All in all, a good mystery and an OK romance.
4 Stars
When old bones are discovered at the bottom of a well on the old Cardwell homestead, Dana Cardwell is surprised to learn that her former fiancé, Hud Savage, is the new marshal investigating the case. Five years after leaving town, Hud is back and determined to prove that he never betrayed Dana. But will he get the chance not that she has become the target of a killer?
The suspense plot is well-crafted albeit somewhat on the predictable side as it is relatively easy to figure out the killer and the motive.
Dana and Hud's romance is a little on the lackluster side. Their chemistry has potential but never really comes to fruition. That said, the characterization is excellent for such a short category romance. Daniels manages to pack in a great deal of information on the various characters and their backstories.
All in all, a good mystery and an OK romance.
December 30, 2019
A quick read that involves a good mix of a mystery and a love story. The mystery has a couple twists and turns, but sadly isn't super suspenseful or tricky. I enjoyed the love story between Dana and Hud, but I would have enjoyed to learn even more about their history and their story prior to their break-up 5 years before this story began. Overall, a nice book to curl up with while under a blanket for a quick evening read.
Read
November 26, 2017It took 17 years for someone to find the woman dressed in red with heels to match in the well. Someone shot her in the head and left her to die there on the Cardwell Ranch. Dana Cardwell now ran the place with help from her foreman, Warren Fitzpatrick. Warren had found the body and called the marshal. She expected Scrappy Morgan to show up but he had quit and an interim marshal had been appointed. She thought it would be Scrappy's nephew, Franklin Morgan but it was Hudson Savage who arrived. She hadn't seen him since they broke up five years ago and she had hoped never to see him again.
Hudson was s ft. 6 to Dana's 5 ft 4. He had been a cop in L.A. and called the coroner to come check out the body. Hudson was troubled by a faint memory of a women dressed in red turning in circles and laughing. He would have been 18 and heading off to college. Dana would have been 16. He thought back to see if he remembered his father making mention of a woman going missing at that time. His father, Roderick "Brick" Savage, had been the marshal at the time.
Dana headed into town to see her best friend and walked into a surprise birthday party. It was her 31st birthday. Hudson asked her to be quiet about the body but she had to tell her best friend, Hilde.
Hud was a bit surprised at the coroner's attitude when he asked questions about anyone going missing while he was working with Hud's father. Rupert Milligan seemed to want to get away and made excuses rather than answer any questions. Hud remembered that Rupert's wife had run off numerous times before she finally went off for good with a trucker. It seemed like Rupert might have an idea of who the woman was.
Hud drove to Dana's ranch to get information about her family and about what had changed from the time he was younger until now. He knew that Dana's parents had married and her parents both owned land adjacent to each other. They divorced and Angus had give up the land to Mary. They had four children, Jordan was the oldest and very good looking. He didn't seem to have much ambition or a head for business. Clay was the youngest and worked in local theater groups. He lived in Bozeman, WY. Stacy was two years older than Dana and had always cashed in on her looks. She was currently on her third marriage. Hud asked if Angus still had his .38 that was the type of gun the woman had been shot with.
Hud got a call after he left the ranch informing him that the same gun used on the woman was used 5 years ago in the murder of Judge Raymond Randolph. The judge was outspoken in his dislike of his father. Hud asked to talk to Dr. Milligan and was told that he had another appointment and had left. Hud wondered if he had gone to talk with Hud's father. He lived about 50 miles away.
Dana went into town to a local bar to talk to her father and uncle. They were on their way to getting drunk and they talked about the body in the well. Dana then went back home and noticed a present left on her table. Lanny Rankin arrived to take her out to dinner for her birthday. He noticed that she was upset and they didn't talk much. They agreed to go ahead with their date as friends even after talking about the fact that Hud was back. He dropped her off at the ranch and she threw the box away. Dana assumed that it was a box of chocolates like the ones he had given her when he had asked her to marry him. She called Hud and told him that sending him chocolates wasn't going to work and he told her that he hadn't left her anything and to not eat them. While she was still on the phone, she noticed a light at the old homestead and asked Hud if anyone should be out there. Hud hung up telling her he was on his way.
Hud arrived and snuck out quietly to the homestead. He noticed a string leading him to the well where he saw one of Dana's dolls hanging over the edge of the well. Hud turned around and was hit and knocked into the well. He managed to grab onto the rope and cut his arm while breaking the fall. Dana had followed him bringing along her shotgun. The gun went off and the assailant ran off. Dana helped Hud out of the well and they kissed. They went back to the ranch where she doctored the cut. Dana answered the phone while Hud was still there. A voice told her that it should have been her at the bottom of the well. Hud told her that she wasn't going to stay alone that night. Her birthday hadn't turned out to be very happy.
Hud found out the next morning that the body belonged to Ginger Adams. She had been a waitress at the local diner. A ring had been found near the well and it had been purchased by the judge for his wife, Kitty Randolph. She was the first customer at Needles and Pins when they opened in the morning. The shop was busy due to people stopping by hoping to catch up on the local gossip. Her sister, Stacy stopped by. They hadn't talked for 5 years, since the death of their mother. Stacy and Hud had been caught in bed together while he and Dana were engaged. Hud left town shortly afterward and Dana thought that something had happened between them because he left town. A few of her friends thought that Stacy had set up the scene because of her jealousy of Dana. Dana and Hud had never really discussed what had happened before he left.
Stacy had come by to tell Dana that the four of them were meeting at the ranch that evening for a discussion. Hud went to see his father and to ask about the night the judge had been murdered. Hud suspected that the two brothers that died driving away from the judges house might have been running due to having drugs in their possession rather than from having killed the judge. To Hud, it appeared that the person who killed the judge had gotten away with it. He told his father that he would find out who had killed Ginger and the judge. Hud called the Kitty on his way home and found out that the judge had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and hadn't been a threat to his father as was Hud's first thought. There would have been no reason for Hud's father to have been threatened by the judge.
Hud went to the cafe where Ginger had worked to talk to the owner who was a cook at the time of Ginger's death. He told Hud that Ginger had a fight with Jordan, Dana's brother, and he had pushed her causing her arm to break. Hud had thought that Ginger had been the cause of Dana's parents divorce but found out that she had dumped him before the divorce. Apparently Ginger had taken up with Jordan and then moved on to someone else.
Hud talked to Dana about it when she was getting off of work that evening. She told Hud that she thought that someone had been watching her from across the street and she had gone over and seen tracks. Hud told her that he didn't want her staying the night at the ranch with her family because he didn't trust that one of them wasn't involved in wanting her dead. Her siblings were putting pressure on her to sell the ranch. Their mother's will hadn't been found so the ranch was to be divided between the siblings and they all wanted money for their share. This was forcing Dana to sell the ranch.
Hud talked a little about the night he was found in Stacy's bed and Dana remembered getting a phone call telling her where Hud was. Hud told her that he couldn't remember anything after having one drink that night. He felt that he had been drugged and set up by Stacy and that she had a male partner that had assisted in setting him up. Hud being found in her bed had caused Stacy's husband to give her the divorce she had wanted.
Hud went to see his father again the next day. He then went to see a waitress that had once worked with Ginger to see what information he could get from her. He found out that Ginger had been pregnant and was planning on getting married. She had been given a ring, the one that the judge had bought for his wife, Kitty. Hud headed home and called ahead. Hildie told him that Dana had headed to the ranch.
Jordan had arrived ahead of the others the previous night. He had been upstairs going through his mother's room because Dana had seen the lights. Jordan frightened Dana when he grabbed her and threatened her to not try and delay the sale of the ranch any further. Stacy interrupted them and they finally talked. Stacy told her that she had drugged Hud the night they were caught together. She had been threatened to do it or be sent to jail. That was what Hud had gone to talk to his father about. It wasn't his father that had threatened her so it had to have been the judge.
Dana went to see Hud and told him that she was sorry. It was the next morning that Hud went to see his father and the waitress. Dana was going to spend the night with Hud again so she went by the ranch to pick up some clothes. She answered the door when she saw it was Kitty who had come by.
Kitty had a gun and led Dana to the well. Lanny was there waiting. Kitty told Dana that the judge had killed Ginger. She was pregnant and he was planning on leaving Kitty for her to raise their child but Kitty held the purse strings and he would have had nothing. He chose to kill Ginger instead. Kitty then set up the brothers to take the blame for the judge's killing. The brothers took the rap when they ended up dead after being chased by Hud's father. Lanny was the nephew of Kitty and he had always hated Hud. He arranged for Hud to be found with Stacy to break up Hud and Dana. Hud had lost his job that night for not showing up when the call came in, forcing Hud to leave town. Lanny had hoped to win over Dana and marry her but it hadn't worked out that way. He was mad at her and decided that if he couldn't have her, no one would.
They were so focused on what they were doing and their conversation with Dana that they didn't hear Hud sneak up behind them. Lanny had a gun but it was dark and Hud wounded him. He dropped the gun and Kitty picked it up but she was shooting in the dark. Both Lanny and Kitty were shot. Kitty ended up jumping in the well to die when she hit the bottom. It was over.
Hud took Dana home and things settled down. The pressure was still on for Dana to sell the ranch, her home. She knew that she had to because her mother's will had never been found. She decided to make Hud some brownies using the recipe her mother had always used. She opened her mother's cookbook to the recipe and the will fell out of the cookbook.
Hudson was s ft. 6 to Dana's 5 ft 4. He had been a cop in L.A. and called the coroner to come check out the body. Hudson was troubled by a faint memory of a women dressed in red turning in circles and laughing. He would have been 18 and heading off to college. Dana would have been 16. He thought back to see if he remembered his father making mention of a woman going missing at that time. His father, Roderick "Brick" Savage, had been the marshal at the time.
Dana headed into town to see her best friend and walked into a surprise birthday party. It was her 31st birthday. Hudson asked her to be quiet about the body but she had to tell her best friend, Hilde.
Hud was a bit surprised at the coroner's attitude when he asked questions about anyone going missing while he was working with Hud's father. Rupert Milligan seemed to want to get away and made excuses rather than answer any questions. Hud remembered that Rupert's wife had run off numerous times before she finally went off for good with a trucker. It seemed like Rupert might have an idea of who the woman was.
Hud drove to Dana's ranch to get information about her family and about what had changed from the time he was younger until now. He knew that Dana's parents had married and her parents both owned land adjacent to each other. They divorced and Angus had give up the land to Mary. They had four children, Jordan was the oldest and very good looking. He didn't seem to have much ambition or a head for business. Clay was the youngest and worked in local theater groups. He lived in Bozeman, WY. Stacy was two years older than Dana and had always cashed in on her looks. She was currently on her third marriage. Hud asked if Angus still had his .38 that was the type of gun the woman had been shot with.
Hud got a call after he left the ranch informing him that the same gun used on the woman was used 5 years ago in the murder of Judge Raymond Randolph. The judge was outspoken in his dislike of his father. Hud asked to talk to Dr. Milligan and was told that he had another appointment and had left. Hud wondered if he had gone to talk with Hud's father. He lived about 50 miles away.
Dana went into town to a local bar to talk to her father and uncle. They were on their way to getting drunk and they talked about the body in the well. Dana then went back home and noticed a present left on her table. Lanny Rankin arrived to take her out to dinner for her birthday. He noticed that she was upset and they didn't talk much. They agreed to go ahead with their date as friends even after talking about the fact that Hud was back. He dropped her off at the ranch and she threw the box away. Dana assumed that it was a box of chocolates like the ones he had given her when he had asked her to marry him. She called Hud and told him that sending him chocolates wasn't going to work and he told her that he hadn't left her anything and to not eat them. While she was still on the phone, she noticed a light at the old homestead and asked Hud if anyone should be out there. Hud hung up telling her he was on his way.
Hud arrived and snuck out quietly to the homestead. He noticed a string leading him to the well where he saw one of Dana's dolls hanging over the edge of the well. Hud turned around and was hit and knocked into the well. He managed to grab onto the rope and cut his arm while breaking the fall. Dana had followed him bringing along her shotgun. The gun went off and the assailant ran off. Dana helped Hud out of the well and they kissed. They went back to the ranch where she doctored the cut. Dana answered the phone while Hud was still there. A voice told her that it should have been her at the bottom of the well. Hud told her that she wasn't going to stay alone that night. Her birthday hadn't turned out to be very happy.
Hud found out the next morning that the body belonged to Ginger Adams. She had been a waitress at the local diner. A ring had been found near the well and it had been purchased by the judge for his wife, Kitty Randolph. She was the first customer at Needles and Pins when they opened in the morning. The shop was busy due to people stopping by hoping to catch up on the local gossip. Her sister, Stacy stopped by. They hadn't talked for 5 years, since the death of their mother. Stacy and Hud had been caught in bed together while he and Dana were engaged. Hud left town shortly afterward and Dana thought that something had happened between them because he left town. A few of her friends thought that Stacy had set up the scene because of her jealousy of Dana. Dana and Hud had never really discussed what had happened before he left.
Stacy had come by to tell Dana that the four of them were meeting at the ranch that evening for a discussion. Hud went to see his father and to ask about the night the judge had been murdered. Hud suspected that the two brothers that died driving away from the judges house might have been running due to having drugs in their possession rather than from having killed the judge. To Hud, it appeared that the person who killed the judge had gotten away with it. He told his father that he would find out who had killed Ginger and the judge. Hud called the Kitty on his way home and found out that the judge had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and hadn't been a threat to his father as was Hud's first thought. There would have been no reason for Hud's father to have been threatened by the judge.
Hud went to the cafe where Ginger had worked to talk to the owner who was a cook at the time of Ginger's death. He told Hud that Ginger had a fight with Jordan, Dana's brother, and he had pushed her causing her arm to break. Hud had thought that Ginger had been the cause of Dana's parents divorce but found out that she had dumped him before the divorce. Apparently Ginger had taken up with Jordan and then moved on to someone else.
Hud talked to Dana about it when she was getting off of work that evening. She told Hud that she thought that someone had been watching her from across the street and she had gone over and seen tracks. Hud told her that he didn't want her staying the night at the ranch with her family because he didn't trust that one of them wasn't involved in wanting her dead. Her siblings were putting pressure on her to sell the ranch. Their mother's will hadn't been found so the ranch was to be divided between the siblings and they all wanted money for their share. This was forcing Dana to sell the ranch.
Hud talked a little about the night he was found in Stacy's bed and Dana remembered getting a phone call telling her where Hud was. Hud told her that he couldn't remember anything after having one drink that night. He felt that he had been drugged and set up by Stacy and that she had a male partner that had assisted in setting him up. Hud being found in her bed had caused Stacy's husband to give her the divorce she had wanted.
Hud went to see his father again the next day. He then went to see a waitress that had once worked with Ginger to see what information he could get from her. He found out that Ginger had been pregnant and was planning on getting married. She had been given a ring, the one that the judge had bought for his wife, Kitty. Hud headed home and called ahead. Hildie told him that Dana had headed to the ranch.
Jordan had arrived ahead of the others the previous night. He had been upstairs going through his mother's room because Dana had seen the lights. Jordan frightened Dana when he grabbed her and threatened her to not try and delay the sale of the ranch any further. Stacy interrupted them and they finally talked. Stacy told her that she had drugged Hud the night they were caught together. She had been threatened to do it or be sent to jail. That was what Hud had gone to talk to his father about. It wasn't his father that had threatened her so it had to have been the judge.
Dana went to see Hud and told him that she was sorry. It was the next morning that Hud went to see his father and the waitress. Dana was going to spend the night with Hud again so she went by the ranch to pick up some clothes. She answered the door when she saw it was Kitty who had come by.
Kitty had a gun and led Dana to the well. Lanny was there waiting. Kitty told Dana that the judge had killed Ginger. She was pregnant and he was planning on leaving Kitty for her to raise their child but Kitty held the purse strings and he would have had nothing. He chose to kill Ginger instead. Kitty then set up the brothers to take the blame for the judge's killing. The brothers took the rap when they ended up dead after being chased by Hud's father. Lanny was the nephew of Kitty and he had always hated Hud. He arranged for Hud to be found with Stacy to break up Hud and Dana. Hud had lost his job that night for not showing up when the call came in, forcing Hud to leave town. Lanny had hoped to win over Dana and marry her but it hadn't worked out that way. He was mad at her and decided that if he couldn't have her, no one would.
They were so focused on what they were doing and their conversation with Dana that they didn't hear Hud sneak up behind them. Lanny had a gun but it was dark and Hud wounded him. He dropped the gun and Kitty picked it up but she was shooting in the dark. Both Lanny and Kitty were shot. Kitty ended up jumping in the well to die when she hit the bottom. It was over.
Hud took Dana home and things settled down. The pressure was still on for Dana to sell the ranch, her home. She knew that she had to because her mother's will had never been found. She decided to make Hud some brownies using the recipe her mother had always used. She opened her mother's cookbook to the recipe and the will fell out of the cookbook.
July 1, 2023
I see now why BJ Daniels is such a star!
This book had plenty of drama. Immediately readers are pulled into the goings on at Cardwell ranch, as well as a second chance romance between Hudson and Dana. Everyone in this small Montana town is shady and knows more than they are saying. I was completely wrapped up in the mystery aspect and proud that I guessed the culprit (but not until the halfway mark.)
This book had plenty of drama. Immediately readers are pulled into the goings on at Cardwell ranch, as well as a second chance romance between Hudson and Dana. Everyone in this small Montana town is shady and knows more than they are saying. I was completely wrapped up in the mystery aspect and proud that I guessed the culprit (but not until the halfway mark.)
November 3, 2015
A Well-Orchestrated Romantic Western Who-Done-It Mystery!
A half mile down the hillside, he could see Warren's pickup stop in a cloud of dust. Hud watched Dana get out. She was still beautiful. Still prickly as a porcupine. Still strong and determined. Still wishing him dead.
CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. Daniels heralds the start of the author's Cardwell Ranch series. I can count on B.J. to weave an excellent western romantic suspense story with well-defined, genuine characters and high stakes action set amidst beautiful scenery. This book is not an exception! Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down! This is the story of Hudson Savage and Dana Cardwell.
I have read this series out of order. as I had already read the fourth book in this series, CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH. I credit it with making me want to go back and read the series from the beginning. All of B.J.'s books work well as standalones, if that is your preference, as the romantic relationships and the development of the danger plot are fully contained within each novel. However, there are interconnected characters and a common awesomely beautiful western setting with sexy cowboys that will make you want to read them all!
I loved both Hudson and Dana even though I wanted to shake Dana a few times. They're both very strong, independent characters with a love of the land. This was a second chance at love story for them both as they were previously affianced, but when Dana caught Hud in bed with her sister, their engagement abruptly ended and Hud had left town. That was five years ago. Now he's back serving as the interim marshal in Gallatin Canyon and is the law officer who shows up when a body is discovered in an abandoned well on Dana's ranch on her birthday.
My copy, which was not an ARC, could have used some minimal editing - which is a first for me with B.J.'s books - but the errors did not affect my enjoyment of the story in the least.
If you enjoy western romantic mysteries with a solid plot, strong characterization, fast-paced action and riveting suspense, you need to check out B.J.'s books. As with all B.J.'s books, CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH is heavy with the danger and thrills and light with the romance. As a who-done-it mystery, this story kept me guessing until the very end. The ending is a direct setup for the sequel, which I already have on my nightstand. :-) I highly recommend CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH to be a must-read for fans and as an excellent start for a newbie to B.J.'s books with depth, spice, passion and danger galore!
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
4 Wine Glasses!
A half mile down the hillside, he could see Warren's pickup stop in a cloud of dust. Hud watched Dana get out. She was still beautiful. Still prickly as a porcupine. Still strong and determined. Still wishing him dead.
CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH by B.J. Daniels heralds the start of the author's Cardwell Ranch series. I can count on B.J. to weave an excellent western romantic suspense story with well-defined, genuine characters and high stakes action set amidst beautiful scenery. This book is not an exception! Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down! This is the story of Hudson Savage and Dana Cardwell.
I have read this series out of order. as I had already read the fourth book in this series, CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH. I credit it with making me want to go back and read the series from the beginning. All of B.J.'s books work well as standalones, if that is your preference, as the romantic relationships and the development of the danger plot are fully contained within each novel. However, there are interconnected characters and a common awesomely beautiful western setting with sexy cowboys that will make you want to read them all!
I loved both Hudson and Dana even though I wanted to shake Dana a few times. They're both very strong, independent characters with a love of the land. This was a second chance at love story for them both as they were previously affianced, but when Dana caught Hud in bed with her sister, their engagement abruptly ended and Hud had left town. That was five years ago. Now he's back serving as the interim marshal in Gallatin Canyon and is the law officer who shows up when a body is discovered in an abandoned well on Dana's ranch on her birthday.
My copy, which was not an ARC, could have used some minimal editing - which is a first for me with B.J.'s books - but the errors did not affect my enjoyment of the story in the least.
If you enjoy western romantic mysteries with a solid plot, strong characterization, fast-paced action and riveting suspense, you need to check out B.J.'s books. As with all B.J.'s books, CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH is heavy with the danger and thrills and light with the romance. As a who-done-it mystery, this story kept me guessing until the very end. The ending is a direct setup for the sequel, which I already have on my nightstand. :-) I highly recommend CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH to be a must-read for fans and as an excellent start for a newbie to B.J.'s books with depth, spice, passion and danger galore!
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
4 Wine Glasses!
June 23, 2019
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
In many ways, Dana and Hud’s romance is the beginning of a kind of legacy which will, over time, include cousins, friends and a new generation living around and connected to the Cardwell Ranch. It’s a legacy that almost never happened because of lies, deception, and a murder in the past and attempted murder in their future. At one time, Hud and Dana were deeply in love, planning a future together until those lies and deceptions tore them apart. Dana’s refusal to listen to Hud’s side and Hud taking off to Los Angeles put the end to any future they might have had. Until human bones were found in a well on the Cardwell Ranch which brought Hud back home opening old wounds, searching for answers to a decades-old murder, and protecting the woman he’s never stopped loving from the danger she is now in.
While I enjoyed CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH very much, I do have to admit that there are several story threads to keep track of both in the present and in the past. Add to that some necessary world building with two very stubborn main characters and you have an intriguing yet at times frustrating beginning to this series. Dana’s siblings caused her such pain on several fronts. Even knowing what I do about this series I can still not like them very much at all in this first story. Hud ran from the problems that those lies and deceptions began. I always understood his frustration and anger at the events that happened back then but also could wish that he had stayed to face them down and learn the truth for himself and for Dana. But I also understood that sometimes things destroy us so deeply that leaving is the only choice to remain sane. Dana’s stubbornness often drove me to clenched teeth and growling at her actions. Hud and Dana will find their way back to each other, but it is a very dangerous and rocky road to get to that point. Add to that drama an old murder mystery to solve with interesting results and you have a complex yet completely enjoyable Romance/Mystery.
I own a paperback edition (somewhere in storage boxes) and a newer Kindle edition of this title.
In many ways, Dana and Hud’s romance is the beginning of a kind of legacy which will, over time, include cousins, friends and a new generation living around and connected to the Cardwell Ranch. It’s a legacy that almost never happened because of lies, deception, and a murder in the past and attempted murder in their future. At one time, Hud and Dana were deeply in love, planning a future together until those lies and deceptions tore them apart. Dana’s refusal to listen to Hud’s side and Hud taking off to Los Angeles put the end to any future they might have had. Until human bones were found in a well on the Cardwell Ranch which brought Hud back home opening old wounds, searching for answers to a decades-old murder, and protecting the woman he’s never stopped loving from the danger she is now in.
While I enjoyed CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH very much, I do have to admit that there are several story threads to keep track of both in the present and in the past. Add to that some necessary world building with two very stubborn main characters and you have an intriguing yet at times frustrating beginning to this series. Dana’s siblings caused her such pain on several fronts. Even knowing what I do about this series I can still not like them very much at all in this first story. Hud ran from the problems that those lies and deceptions began. I always understood his frustration and anger at the events that happened back then but also could wish that he had stayed to face them down and learn the truth for himself and for Dana. But I also understood that sometimes things destroy us so deeply that leaving is the only choice to remain sane. Dana’s stubbornness often drove me to clenched teeth and growling at her actions. Hud and Dana will find their way back to each other, but it is a very dangerous and rocky road to get to that point. Add to that drama an old murder mystery to solve with interesting results and you have a complex yet completely enjoyable Romance/Mystery.
I own a paperback edition (somewhere in storage boxes) and a newer Kindle edition of this title.
April 24, 2011
I'm not crazy about het, but I'll read it if the price is right, and being a freebee definitely fits that description. I picked it up from Amazon, loaded it to my Kindle, and decided to read it while I was cruising.
First off, left me just say that a reader in her late teens (and possibly younger)/early twenties might think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but frankly, I found the heroine TSTL. The front door is open, and she blithely walks on in? Uh... no. What half-way intelligent woman leaves her door unlooked in this day and age?
As for the sex scene, I had to skip it; it did nothing for me.
It's very obvious that this is a Harlequin: what rational man would walk away from the woman he professes to love beyond everything because he wants to make things easy for her when he's found in her sister's bed? fight for her, man! Come to think of it, what rational woman won't give the man she's loved for forever, and who prior to this had never cheated on her, the benefit of the doubt?
Come to think of it, they're both TSTL. :-P
I did like the mystery and thought that was the best thing about this book. I just think this would be 100% better with all the romance left out.
First off, left me just say that a reader in her late teens (and possibly younger)/early twenties might think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but frankly, I found the heroine TSTL. The front door is open, and she blithely walks on in? Uh... no. What half-way intelligent woman leaves her door unlooked in this day and age?
As for the sex scene, I had to skip it; it did nothing for me.
It's very obvious that this is a Harlequin: what rational man would walk away from the woman he professes to love beyond everything because he wants to make things easy for her when he's found in her sister's bed? fight for her, man! Come to think of it, what rational woman won't give the man she's loved for forever, and who prior to this had never cheated on her, the benefit of the doubt?
Come to think of it, they're both TSTL. :-P
I did like the mystery and thought that was the best thing about this book. I just think this would be 100% better with all the romance left out.
July 14, 2010
Romance/western mystery is not my genre--or genres, admittedly. But when Harlequin Romance donated no less that 4 large boxes of THIS book to our school, I began promoting it aggressively just so I could get rid of the copies, and clear space in my library!
Then, I realized that if I am trying to get students to take a free copy of this, I had better get over my initial distaste for the title/cover/genre and general vibe I was getting and actually read the book.
This book was wrought with cliches, and had phrases like "She turned her back on the only man that had ever satisfied her", but you know, I actually thought it was fun to read. The plot kept my attention, and I was pleasantly reminded of the R.L. Stein and Christopher Pike books I read in middle school. I guess it was the murder plot, or something, but I definitely got that feeling from it, and that was a good thing. I can see why books of this kind are so popular, they are delicious brain candy. Now when my students ask if the book is worth taking home, I can say--'sure, it's a fun read'. There's nothing wrong with that.
Then, I realized that if I am trying to get students to take a free copy of this, I had better get over my initial distaste for the title/cover/genre and general vibe I was getting and actually read the book.
This book was wrought with cliches, and had phrases like "She turned her back on the only man that had ever satisfied her", but you know, I actually thought it was fun to read. The plot kept my attention, and I was pleasantly reminded of the R.L. Stein and Christopher Pike books I read in middle school. I guess it was the murder plot, or something, but I definitely got that feeling from it, and that was a good thing. I can see why books of this kind are so popular, they are delicious brain candy. Now when my students ask if the book is worth taking home, I can say--'sure, it's a fun read'. There's nothing wrong with that.
December 15, 2011
Ok so I had this book for a long time and I didn't read it. My sister had given it to me b/c she got it for free from somewhere and when I saw the cover it put me off so I decided not to read it. But then one day I was bored and didn't have anything to read so I picked up this book and decided to see what its all about. AND to my surprise it was actually a really good read. I could not put it down, it was a page turner and had lots of twist and turns. It also had romance but mainly focused on the whole solving of the mystery. Kept me guessing till the end of the novel who the murderer was and I did not see it coming. I was so shocked at finding out who it really was. All in all I really enjoyed this book, I am glad my sister picked up this book and that I read it despite the cover. That goes to say don't judge a book by its cover.
February 1, 2009
Harlequin has a special offer right now: you can download 16 books from their different lines in ebook format. I could never turn down a free romance, so I grabbed all of them (except the NASCAR one, which unsurprisingly I own) and am working my way through.
This book is from the Harlequin Intrigue line, the suspense/mystery line, and I liked it quite a bit: an interesting mystery with multiple plausible suspects, a decent Unsurmountable Obstacle separating the lovers, and a strong setting (a Montana winter) that played into the plot in several places.
Next: Hide in Plain Sight, a book from the inspirational suspense line. Innnnteresting.
This book is from the Harlequin Intrigue line, the suspense/mystery line, and I liked it quite a bit: an interesting mystery with multiple plausible suspects, a decent Unsurmountable Obstacle separating the lovers, and a strong setting (a Montana winter) that played into the plot in several places.
Next: Hide in Plain Sight, a book from the inspirational suspense line. Innnnteresting.
January 12, 2010
It was an interesting premise, so I was kind of excited to read this book. I didn't get to it for a while, but once I did I was drawn in. I wish the author would've explained things a bit sooner because it got tiresome to keep hearing about the same problems again and again, but the murder plot line kept me interested enough to finish. The subplot where the heroine was going to have to sell her family's ranch because of her jerk siblings irritated me, at best. Romance novel heroines have become symbols of strength through the years, and I felt like she was allowing her family to plow over her again and again. I hated that she was helpless against them, and I really didn't like that it wasn't resolved until the very last sentence.
November 19, 2013
Great book. Dana Cardwell was trying to get the family ranch together to sell, she didn't want to sell it but her sister and brothers wanted the money for their share. Dana kept telling them their mom had written a revision on the will before her death so she could pay them over a period of time, but she couldn't find it. As if that wasn't bad enough they found a skelton in a well on their property. The body was 17 years old and it was a woman. Return Hudson Savage, ex deputy who came back as acting marshall. Dana and Hud use to be engaged until Dana found him in bed with her sister. This is a great story and I know you will enjoy it until they get to who the murderer of the woman in the well is. this is a great read.
April 20, 2012
Now that is what I call a good in fact great story line. I felt that the leaking of the past was good because it created an urgency in it's own. I never guessed the ending at all. I would be repeating myself to say that it all came together great. Now I will be adding another market of books to read. Thank you B.J. Daniels for your awesome writing style, I will add you as another author to watch for.
4/19/12
4/19/12
August 14, 2013
I got this book free on my Kindle. Harlequin in not my usual read, but it was short and an Intrigue series, so I gave it a try. I have to say it was actually pretty good story and interesting. Bones are found at the bottom of a dry well on Dana’s ranch. The ranch her siblings are forcing her to sell. Hud, the sheriff, is back after 5 years and he and Dana have a lot of unfinished business. It all connects and the murderer is not at all who you would expect.
October 5, 2012
I got this book for free on my nook one day and it was a pretty good fast read for me. I enjoyed the story, the writing was good and the characters kept it interesting. The mystery from the past took a while to be revealed, but I liked the tension between MC and Hud. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. The story was easy and fun to follow, it was a good mystery.
January 17, 2015
I read this book on my Kindle sometime in 2011 and remembering enjoying it a lot. No longer listed as available on Amazon Kindle although if it is in your Kindle Cloud, you still have the book. You might try to find it as an eBook on your online local library.
I re-read this book again -- and enjoyed it just as much this time as I did the first.
I re-read this book again -- and enjoyed it just as much this time as I did the first.
October 3, 2010
This was a free book given out by shirtless cowboys at the Minnesota State Fair this year so how could I not take one? :)
It was exactly what you would expect a Harlequin Romance Novel to be, very light reading with a predictable ending but that's not always bad.
It was exactly what you would expect a Harlequin Romance Novel to be, very light reading with a predictable ending but that's not always bad.
April 19, 2011
This was Free from Amazon for my Kindle, it was pretty good!
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