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Rivalries #3
Kill for a Million
For one prestigious Texas ranching family still reeling from the murder of their powerful patriarch, the aftershocks continue amid the most prized reining event of the year —and so does the infighting and scandalous romance from legendary author Janet Dailey!
Frank Culhane’s murder remains unsolved while his widow, Lila, is still battling to keep her beloved ranch from the grasp of his embittered first wife and grown children. As for arresting Frank’s killer, time is running out for Detective Sam Rafferty to prove himself and save his career, and for his number one suspect—and Lila’s lover—Culhane ranch manager Roper McKenna, to prove his innocence. Both men are staking their fates on the outcome of the imminent reining event of the the Run for a Million.
Roper’s dream of riding in Run for a Million is finally coming true. And for his struggling family, the million-dollar prize will mean everything. He’ll be competing on borrowed stallion Fire Dance, with Lila’s legendary stallion, One in a Million, as one of his backups. For now, only winning matters. But suddenly, even that is in jeopardy . . .
On the road, a huge semi almost sideswipes Roper’s truck and horse trailer. He just manages to save the rig from rolling, but the horses are severely shaken. Was it an accident, or an attempt to sabotage Roper—or to kill Lila, who was supposed to have accompanied him?
Meanwhile, others are in turmoil of their own. There’s Sam’s clandestine affair with Lila’s pampered stepdaughter—and murder suspect—Jasmine; dangerous information Jasmine has about her mother; and a long-buried secret Roper’s sister harbors that could explode the Culhane dynasty. Then there is the sole witness to Frank’s murder—a witness who can’t speak, but may have a one in a million chance at revealing the truth . . .
Frank Culhane’s murder remains unsolved while his widow, Lila, is still battling to keep her beloved ranch from the grasp of his embittered first wife and grown children. As for arresting Frank’s killer, time is running out for Detective Sam Rafferty to prove himself and save his career, and for his number one suspect—and Lila’s lover—Culhane ranch manager Roper McKenna, to prove his innocence. Both men are staking their fates on the outcome of the imminent reining event of the the Run for a Million.
Roper’s dream of riding in Run for a Million is finally coming true. And for his struggling family, the million-dollar prize will mean everything. He’ll be competing on borrowed stallion Fire Dance, with Lila’s legendary stallion, One in a Million, as one of his backups. For now, only winning matters. But suddenly, even that is in jeopardy . . .
On the road, a huge semi almost sideswipes Roper’s truck and horse trailer. He just manages to save the rig from rolling, but the horses are severely shaken. Was it an accident, or an attempt to sabotage Roper—or to kill Lila, who was supposed to have accompanied him?
Meanwhile, others are in turmoil of their own. There’s Sam’s clandestine affair with Lila’s pampered stepdaughter—and murder suspect—Jasmine; dangerous information Jasmine has about her mother; and a long-buried secret Roper’s sister harbors that could explode the Culhane dynasty. Then there is the sole witness to Frank’s murder—a witness who can’t speak, but may have a one in a million chance at revealing the truth . . .
272 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
93 people are currently reading
3854 people want to read
About the author
Janet Dailey
400 books1,865 followersJanet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.
Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.
She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.
Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.
Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.
She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.
Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 26, 2026
An absolute page turner! Highly recommend this book! Goodreads win!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kill For A Million
Janet Daily
ISBN
Publisher
Large Print
Paperback
Hardback
Audio
Ebook
Debra Gaynor
Debg121254@gmail.com
Kill For A Million
Janet Daily
Roper McKenna is the primary suspect in the murder of Frank Culhane. Frank’s wife Lila is fighting to keep her ranch from the grubby hands of Frank’s first wife and children. Roper is the manager of the Culhane ranch and Lila’s lover. Detective Sam Rafferty is investigating the murder; this case could make or break his career.
Roper and his sister Cheynne load up two beautiful horses and take to the road for a competition. On the way there a run in with a semi-truck brings emotional damage to one of the horses. Borrow stallion Fire Dance becomes violent; there is no way the horse can compete. One in a Million was to be the backup but now everything depends on him. Roper needs to win the competition’s million-dollar prize. The semi-truck sideswiped the truck and horse trailer it was obvious it was on purpose. Were they trying to sabotage the competition or was it attempted murder.
There are several side plots in this tale. Sam is in love with Lila’s stepdaughter, Jasmine. Roper’s mother comes to the competition although she hates Las Vegas. She attempts to rule her family with an iron fist. The woman is very religious. Cheyenne has a secret she has protected for a long time. There was a witness to the murder, but he can’t talk. The families in the this take are very dysfunctional.
This is the third book in the Kill For a Million series. I have not read the other books but this one stands alone. I enjoyed this tale. The romances were well done, especially Cheyenne’s. I also enjoyed reading about the horses. Fans of author Janet Daily will be excited to read Kill For a Million.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
Janet Daily
ISBN
Publisher
Large Print
Paperback
Hardback
Audio
Ebook
Debra Gaynor
Debg121254@gmail.com
Kill For A Million
Janet Daily
Roper McKenna is the primary suspect in the murder of Frank Culhane. Frank’s wife Lila is fighting to keep her ranch from the grubby hands of Frank’s first wife and children. Roper is the manager of the Culhane ranch and Lila’s lover. Detective Sam Rafferty is investigating the murder; this case could make or break his career.
Roper and his sister Cheynne load up two beautiful horses and take to the road for a competition. On the way there a run in with a semi-truck brings emotional damage to one of the horses. Borrow stallion Fire Dance becomes violent; there is no way the horse can compete. One in a Million was to be the backup but now everything depends on him. Roper needs to win the competition’s million-dollar prize. The semi-truck sideswiped the truck and horse trailer it was obvious it was on purpose. Were they trying to sabotage the competition or was it attempted murder.
There are several side plots in this tale. Sam is in love with Lila’s stepdaughter, Jasmine. Roper’s mother comes to the competition although she hates Las Vegas. She attempts to rule her family with an iron fist. The woman is very religious. Cheyenne has a secret she has protected for a long time. There was a witness to the murder, but he can’t talk. The families in the this take are very dysfunctional.
This is the third book in the Kill For a Million series. I have not read the other books but this one stands alone. I enjoyed this tale. The romances were well done, especially Cheyenne’s. I also enjoyed reading about the horses. Fans of author Janet Daily will be excited to read Kill For a Million.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
April 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I picked this up as an audiobook ARC because I wanted to try something a bit different and see if this genre was for me… and unfortunately, I think I’ve learned it’s probably not 😅
That said, I can still appreciate what the book was doing. It’s got a mix of murder mystery, family drama, romance, and a strong ranch/horse setting, which will definitely work for the right reader. There’s a lot going on, with multiple storylines and characters, and I was still able to follow along without having read the previous books in the series.
For me though, I just didn’t fully connect with it. The story felt a bit busy at times and I struggled to really get invested in the characters or the outcome. Nothing was bad, it just wasn’t something that hooked me in the way I’d hoped.
Overall, I can see the appeal — especially if you enjoy this style of story — but it just wasn’t the right fit for me personally.
I picked this up as an audiobook ARC because I wanted to try something a bit different and see if this genre was for me… and unfortunately, I think I’ve learned it’s probably not 😅
That said, I can still appreciate what the book was doing. It’s got a mix of murder mystery, family drama, romance, and a strong ranch/horse setting, which will definitely work for the right reader. There’s a lot going on, with multiple storylines and characters, and I was still able to follow along without having read the previous books in the series.
For me though, I just didn’t fully connect with it. The story felt a bit busy at times and I struggled to really get invested in the characters or the outcome. Nothing was bad, it just wasn’t something that hooked me in the way I’d hoped.
Overall, I can see the appeal — especially if you enjoy this style of story — but it just wasn’t the right fit for me personally.
April 28, 2026
Kill For A Million by Janet Dailey was a fabulous book. The characters and situations are so well written it kept me glued to the story. The narrator read the story so perfectly that I was able to feel, hear and see everything that was happening.
This is the third book in the Rivalries series. The mixture of family, love, family drama and all along who was guilty of killing Frank Culhane.
The rodeos and horses play a big part in the story and is following the parts is wonderful.
I found myself deep in the story and enjoyed every part of it. I recommend this book and you can read it as a standalone but to get the first two in the series will leave you glad you read them all.
Thank you NetGalley, Janet Dailey and Kensington Publishing for the audiobook of Kill for a Million. This is my personal review.
This is the third book in the Rivalries series. The mixture of family, love, family drama and all along who was guilty of killing Frank Culhane.
The rodeos and horses play a big part in the story and is following the parts is wonderful.
I found myself deep in the story and enjoyed every part of it. I recommend this book and you can read it as a standalone but to get the first two in the series will leave you glad you read them all.
Thank you NetGalley, Janet Dailey and Kensington Publishing for the audiobook of Kill for a Million. This is my personal review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
In book three of the Rivalries series, Janet Dailey has brought together all the moving part of the first two. While all the novels stand alone, this one answers the rest of the questions. We join the Culhane family and the supporting characters as they work to find out who killed Frank Culhane and compete in the Run for a Million.
This novel has it all. Romance and suspense in equal measure for the avid reader of both genres. Highly recommend if you like cowboys, romance, horses and rodeos. I was unable to put it down and was reading late into the night. As for what comes next for Janet Dailey fans, I am unsure, but I will be waiting.
In book three of the Rivalries series, Janet Dailey has brought together all the moving part of the first two. While all the novels stand alone, this one answers the rest of the questions. We join the Culhane family and the supporting characters as they work to find out who killed Frank Culhane and compete in the Run for a Million.
This novel has it all. Romance and suspense in equal measure for the avid reader of both genres. Highly recommend if you like cowboys, romance, horses and rodeos. I was unable to put it down and was reading late into the night. As for what comes next for Janet Dailey fans, I am unsure, but I will be waiting.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity. This is part of a series in which I Have not read but was able to follow the flow of the story but for the best reading experience I would recommend reading the whole series. It had everything, romance, suspense, and family drama. It definitely put the dysfunctional in dysfunctional family. Texas strong focusing on a ranch family and the horsees as well as a murder and investigation for a flavor.. This has it all and will have the reader flipping through pages to find the ending. Definitely pick this one up if you love some horses with some suspense.
April 22, 2026
Kill for a Million by Janet Dailey was a satisfying wrap-up to the mystery surrounding the Culhane murder. The reveal of the killer genuinely surprised me, which always makes a mystery more enjoyable.
I have to admit, I was never a fan of Darrin—he came across as a spoiled brat from start to finish. On the brighter side, I loved seeing Jasmine, Cheyenne, and Roper find some happiness by the end. It added a nice emotional balance to the story.
Overall, this was an engaging and surprising read that kept me invested until the final reveal.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley
I have to admit, I was never a fan of Darrin—he came across as a spoiled brat from start to finish. On the brighter side, I loved seeing Jasmine, Cheyenne, and Roper find some happiness by the end. It added a nice emotional balance to the story.
Overall, this was an engaging and surprising read that kept me invested until the final reveal.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley
April 30, 2026
3.5⭐️Cowboy/Cowgirl rodeo mystery and romance…This book has all the things. Frank Culhane is murdered and the FBI is trying to review and find evidence to make an arrest. Set in the rodeo scene of a rodeo cutting million dollar competition in Vegas you’ll find yourself working through the clues to find out who is guilty. Then a plane goes down and another person bites the dust.
This book is the 3rd book in the series, but I enjoyed it as a stand alone. This one was definitely a page turner, and I enjoyed the story.
I received an advance copy from Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you @Kensingtonbooks and @janetdailey for the opportunity to read this book.
This book is the 3rd book in the series, but I enjoyed it as a stand alone. This one was definitely a page turner, and I enjoyed the story.
I received an advance copy from Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you @Kensingtonbooks and @janetdailey for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book Three of Janet Dailey's Rivalries series "Kill for a Million" was the best one so far in the series. This book had lots of suspense, romance and intrigue. I could not put it down! This story has wrapped up the series so nicely, with some happy and some not so happy endings. It is a definite must read if you are a Janet Dailey fan. You could read it by itself, but is a better story when you have read the two previous books. I recommend it highly!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a really good book. It had everything, romance, suspense, and family drama. It definitely put the dysfunctional in dysfunctional family. This is why I love reading Janet Dailey books. I think it's great that her legacy continues on. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers, let me read this in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An absolute page turner.
This was a really well done whodoneit that I could easily see turned into a TV show. Definitely not appropriate for children, this book springs into the world of deception, of misconception, of greed, violence and murder, as well as hope and love.
As the cover might suggest, this book is quite horse-centric!
This was a really well done whodoneit that I could easily see turned into a TV show. Definitely not appropriate for children, this book springs into the world of deception, of misconception, of greed, violence and murder, as well as hope and love.
As the cover might suggest, this book is quite horse-centric!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An engaging story. Many family issues. Several romances. Lots of horse drama. A few intimate scenes which I skipped. Nice wrap up for several couples and murder mysteries. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I voluntarily read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest opinion.
Another great story by Janet Dailey. Kill For A Million. I've read past stories by Janet Dailey and have always enjoyed them. You can't go wrong if you like romance with a touch of suspense in them.
Another great story by Janet Dailey. Kill For A Million. I've read past stories by Janet Dailey and have always enjoyed them. You can't go wrong if you like romance with a touch of suspense in them.
April 30, 2026
One of the best books I’ve ever read
It has everything to make it good, suspense, caring, love, and written well I like the characters and the people, everything was very moving and passionate
It has everything to make it good, suspense, caring, love, and written well I like the characters and the people, everything was very moving and passionate
May 7, 2026
Book three of the Million Dollar race and the killing of Frank Culhane and the rush to try and solve the murder before changing jobs. I have enjoyed the book along with the series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington and leaving a review by my own accord.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington and leaving a review by my own accord.
May 9, 2026
Frank Culhane's murder occurred two books ago. This third novel showcases the final sussing out of his murderer in a quick yet engaging read. Multiple storylines regarding the different couples kept the suspense and romance alive. If the reader is a horse enthusiast, the enjoyment value increases.
May 8, 2026
Murder mystery of a powerful Texas man from a large ranch family
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews