Death in a Harsh Land

by Shannon Work

No matter how deep you dig, you can't bury the past.Detective Jack Martin looks forward to a carefree summer in the Colorado Rockies. But fate has other plans. After a call from an old friend, Jack is on the road to Texas, headed for certain danger.

After archeologists unearth human bones on a family ranch, one of them is mysteriously murdered. Law enforcement is quick to blame Mexican cartels. Others blame an organized band of thieves wreaking havoc on area ranchers.

As Jack digs for the truth, things become even more sinister. The family patriarch has recently died in a tragic accident. But now Jack wonders if it was murder.

Could a legend of lost treasure provide a clue to the mystery? Will Jack find the killer before someone else dies?

Returning to Texas, Jack faces a part of his past that has haunted him for decades. But it’s not retribution he’s after. It’s justice.

DEATH IN A HARSH LAND is a story of murder and mystery set in the unforgiving landscape of West Texas, and the fifth book in the suspenseful Mountain Resort Mystery Series.

Genres: Mystery

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 13, 2023

About the author

Shannon Work writes traditional mysteries set in the Rocky Mountains and Texas. The Mountain Resort Mystery Series features detective Jack Martin, a former FBI agent from Texas who now solves murders committed in the most exclusive resort towns in Colorado, including Aspen, Vail, and Telluride.

Shannon grew up in Del Rio, a border town in the dusty wilds of West Texas. When she graduated from high school, she moved east to College Station and graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a master's degree in Land Economics and Real Estate.

Most of her working life has been spent developing real estate, earning a national Best in America Living Award for one of her developments.

Shannon and her husband are recent empty nesters and split their time between Houston, Texas and Telluride, Colorado. Always with their three rescue dogs in tow!


Connect with Shannon online:
www.Facebook.com/ShannonWorkAuthor
www.Instagram.com/shannonwork
www.bookbub.com/authors/shannon-work

Visit her website at:
www.ShannonWork.com

Reviews

[Marsha Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her best yet

The "border situation" as the author calls it, was a fitting backdrop for this book. The ending was a surprise, as it should be. I hope there will be more stories about Jack and Crockett.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great murder mystery by Shannon Work that keeps you guessing till the end. Set in an intriguing locale with many colorful characters, Work’s vivid descriptions keeps you engaged while reading. Bring on Jack’s next adventure

[Cynthia L Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great story. This time, Jack returns to Texas to help a friend. Jack is asked to investigate the murder of a young man on his ranch. Numerous twists and turns keep the story interesting, even though I figured out the bad guy relatively quickly.

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest case for our hero Jack Martin. It was a great thtill read and l enjoyed the book. Like the others in the series previously.

[Cindy Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I agree the best yet!!

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I have enjoyed this set of books very much and am looking forward to reading more by this author. I highly recommend reading them.

[Donald Schuster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[KerryO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoying Jack Martin and his detecting style.

[Norma Swartout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great 5 book series, I like how the author places the characters from book to book and the last one she depicts her own heritage. nicely done!

[Halli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was good but not as good as the first 4, I was a little confused on the character development. However I've immensely enjoyed this series and have powered through them all summer!