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The Haunted Ranch Mysteries #2
Bones and Cactus Blooms
Claire Caldwell has finally found her footing. Six months after solving her first murder, she's turned Whispering Saguaro Ranch into a thriving animal sanctuary and embraced her ability to see the dead.
But the desert has more secrets to reveal.
When volunteers preparing for the Cactus Bloom Festival unearth human bones that have been hidden for thirty-five years, the whole town starts whispering about old scandals and vanished souls. Then one of the most powerful man in Perdido Springs turns up dead in his office, and everyone Claire knows had a reason to want him gone. The man who foreclosed on half the town... dead. The festival meant to save local businesses... in chaos. The ghosts in Claire's kitchen... warning her that death isn't finished yet.
As Claire digs into both the old bones and the fresh corpse, she discovers the two deaths are connected by threads of family, loss, and long-buried grievances that someone would kill to keep hidden. With her fox, Rusty, bringing ominous warnings, the ghost of a long-dead librarian helping her research, and her relationship with Sam strained by family obligations, Claire must navigate a town full of desperate people harboring deadly secrets.
In Perdido Springs, old wounds never heal... and some debts can only be paid in blood.
Welcome back to the desert, where the past never stays buried.
But the desert has more secrets to reveal.
When volunteers preparing for the Cactus Bloom Festival unearth human bones that have been hidden for thirty-five years, the whole town starts whispering about old scandals and vanished souls. Then one of the most powerful man in Perdido Springs turns up dead in his office, and everyone Claire knows had a reason to want him gone. The man who foreclosed on half the town... dead. The festival meant to save local businesses... in chaos. The ghosts in Claire's kitchen... warning her that death isn't finished yet.
As Claire digs into both the old bones and the fresh corpse, she discovers the two deaths are connected by threads of family, loss, and long-buried grievances that someone would kill to keep hidden. With her fox, Rusty, bringing ominous warnings, the ghost of a long-dead librarian helping her research, and her relationship with Sam strained by family obligations, Claire must navigate a town full of desperate people harboring deadly secrets.
In Perdido Springs, old wounds never heal... and some debts can only be paid in blood.
Welcome back to the desert, where the past never stays buried.
- GenresContemporaryMystery
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2025
328 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Sara Bourgeois
234 books351 followersSara Bourgeois is a Midwesterner through and through. She spends her time writing, reading, herding cats, and standing in her driveway during tornado warnings. (You can't see them from the basement.)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 13, 2026
Another page turner
The animals at the rescue farm are great comic characters! Great chacters all around, and I loked the premise. The book is well- written with a nice amount of friendship and romantic connections. There is a cliffhanger of sorts. I generally don't like those, but I will read the next book.
The animals at the rescue farm are great comic characters! Great chacters all around, and I loked the premise. The book is well- written with a nice amount of friendship and romantic connections. There is a cliffhanger of sorts. I generally don't like those, but I will read the next book.
March 3, 2026
Fantastic work and highly recommended.
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Bones and Cactus Blooms , the second book in The Haunted Ranch Mysteries by Sara Bourgeois, is exactly what I hoped for in the series. It’s the potential I saw in the first book fulfilled and more.
The author has a fantastic mystery and story here. Shes developing Claire , the ranch which is now a thriving animal sanctuary and those who are a part of it, as the mystical heart of Perdita Springs. Or maybe the land upon which all of it stands.
The beleaguered citizens of the town, under siege by developers and the bank, have our sympathy and emotional connection. Each one feels believable and raw. And Claire, as she continues to make her way into this town and its pain, is an interesting empathic woman who wants to make things happen. In their lives and her’s.
So of course, there’s a murder.
It’s a complex story with lots of interesting elements around the person who is killed.
And the side stories, especially the one about Claire and Sam Redhorse, the vet, is very well written . Slow developing with stumbling blocks that, again, are ones that any person can easily understand and relate to.
It is wrapped up emotionally with layers that are so powerful. Sad but necessary. And the author adds an extra twist that shows another layer of the story and series going forward.
Fantastic work and highly recommended.
I’m onto the next.
Cover by Book Covers by Melody
The Haunted Ranch Mysteries (8 book series)
Death Rides The Desert #1
Bones and Cactus Blooms #2
Spirits of the Saguaro #3
Tombstones with a View #4
Body Beneath the Wither #5
Death Waits at Dead Rock #6
Skulls and Sunlit Secrets #7
The Bone Charm #8
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Bones and Cactus Blooms , the second book in The Haunted Ranch Mysteries by Sara Bourgeois, is exactly what I hoped for in the series. It’s the potential I saw in the first book fulfilled and more.
The author has a fantastic mystery and story here. Shes developing Claire , the ranch which is now a thriving animal sanctuary and those who are a part of it, as the mystical heart of Perdita Springs. Or maybe the land upon which all of it stands.
The beleaguered citizens of the town, under siege by developers and the bank, have our sympathy and emotional connection. Each one feels believable and raw. And Claire, as she continues to make her way into this town and its pain, is an interesting empathic woman who wants to make things happen. In their lives and her’s.
So of course, there’s a murder.
It’s a complex story with lots of interesting elements around the person who is killed.
And the side stories, especially the one about Claire and Sam Redhorse, the vet, is very well written . Slow developing with stumbling blocks that, again, are ones that any person can easily understand and relate to.
It is wrapped up emotionally with layers that are so powerful. Sad but necessary. And the author adds an extra twist that shows another layer of the story and series going forward.
Fantastic work and highly recommended.
I’m onto the next.
Cover by Book Covers by Melody
The Haunted Ranch Mysteries (8 book series)
Death Rides The Desert #1
Bones and Cactus Blooms #2
Spirits of the Saguaro #3
Tombstones with a View #4
Body Beneath the Wither #5
Death Waits at Dead Rock #6
Skulls and Sunlit Secrets #7
The Bone Charm #8
February 18, 2026
Not as good as the first.
I bought this book after reading the 1st one in the series. I bought it for the simple reason that I really liked the characters and the job the author did with creating an authentic feeling environment.
I did not enjoy this one as much as the 1st, sadly. It wasn't bad and it provided an adequate diversion, but the mystery of the plot was not handled with the same finesse and events felt somewhat forced. The author's reliance on throwing out a bunch of red herrings to maintain the mystery was, to me, a weakness in the writing. The cozy romance didn't work for me either. You had 2 people in the prime of their life with no attachments, stated significant attraction to each other no competition, and they spend months doing nothing more than holding hands and the occasional chaste kiss. I did not need passionate scenes of physical ecstasy, but a little more reality would have been appreciated. As it was, it got boring.
I'm glad that I read these 2 books, but I won't be buying the third.
I bought this book after reading the 1st one in the series. I bought it for the simple reason that I really liked the characters and the job the author did with creating an authentic feeling environment.
I did not enjoy this one as much as the 1st, sadly. It wasn't bad and it provided an adequate diversion, but the mystery of the plot was not handled with the same finesse and events felt somewhat forced. The author's reliance on throwing out a bunch of red herrings to maintain the mystery was, to me, a weakness in the writing. The cozy romance didn't work for me either. You had 2 people in the prime of their life with no attachments, stated significant attraction to each other no competition, and they spend months doing nothing more than holding hands and the occasional chaste kiss. I did not need passionate scenes of physical ecstasy, but a little more reality would have been appreciated. As it was, it got boring.
I'm glad that I read these 2 books, but I won't be buying the third.
January 26, 2026
An enjoyable series that has bits of paranormal with the FMC ability to see ghosts. She has solved a few murders but does not really go out of her way to investigate or show results to the police. Who, admittedly are very stereotypically incompetent/lazy. The rescue animals are a treat to read about as they definitely have personality - and escape tricks! The romance finally is getting a bit of traction. I really felt she was excruciatingly patient with the rainchecks. The ending is a bit twisty with shades of demon possession coming through. A decent set up for the next book.
January 23, 2026
Bones and Cactus Blooms
Very interesting story plot and intriguing characters. A ghost seeing young woman who runs a rescue farm. A resident ghost that gives dating advice. A evil rich banker who is unfaithful to his wife. A town that has been hurt by the banker who is foreclosed on several family business. His death will mark a turning point, but what will it be. I encourage others to read this story. I am looking forward to reading more about the characters.
Very interesting story plot and intriguing characters. A ghost seeing young woman who runs a rescue farm. A resident ghost that gives dating advice. A evil rich banker who is unfaithful to his wife. A town that has been hurt by the banker who is foreclosed on several family business. His death will mark a turning point, but what will it be. I encourage others to read this story. I am looking forward to reading more about the characters.
January 20, 2026
This is a very good story, with a hair raising ending. The characters are human, animals, ghosts and something a lot worse. The plot is straightforward, and the premise is finding out who killed the greedy banker and why. The answers were far more than most bargained for. I most definitely recommend this book.
February 24, 2026
I had hoped book 2 would be better than the first but sadly it was not.
Way too many pacing issues, poor editing, and sloppy mystery.
Once you realize this author is self-published and put out 8 books in less than six months, it makes sense.
I like the fox and the field hand but that's not enough for me to keep reading this series
Way too many pacing issues, poor editing, and sloppy mystery.
Once you realize this author is self-published and put out 8 books in less than six months, it makes sense.
I like the fox and the field hand but that's not enough for me to keep reading this series
November 12, 2025
Good book
This book had a lot of people with dealing with money and relationship issues. The man who caused most of the problems is murdered. Many suspects. The killer is brought to justice. But wait! Another plot twist! Read the book.
This book had a lot of people with dealing with money and relationship issues. The man who caused most of the problems is murdered. Many suspects. The killer is brought to justice. But wait! Another plot twist! Read the book.
November 29, 2025
The captivating animal characters, particularly the charismatic rooster, have truly stolen my heart in this delightful narrative. I am eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment in this enchanting series.
January 12, 2026
Claire the hero
We see someone trying to draw big business into town and getting rid of the little people. It seems everyone hated Robert and Claire ends up trying to find out who killed him. The police are a joke and this town needs to fight this corruption.
We see someone trying to draw big business into town and getting rid of the little people. It seems everyone hated Robert and Claire ends up trying to find out who killed him. The police are a joke and this town needs to fight this corruption.
November 19, 2025
Great read
Wonderful read although the segway into the new book was really scary. This story was really good! Thank you for such an awesome read
Wonderful read although the segway into the new book was really scary. This story was really good! Thank you for such an awesome read
February 21, 2026
So good and the little fox does have a name. Another good mystery solved.
March 8, 2026
Ghostly murder mystery
I love the animals and other great characters. Great story with a touch of creepiness. The desert adds a lot to the story with it's otherworldliness .
I love the animals and other great characters. Great story with a touch of creepiness. The desert adds a lot to the story with it's otherworldliness .
March 14, 2026
Book 2 in the series
A great stand alone story but there seems to be a Greater mystery afoot. I guess I need to read the rest of the series!
A great stand alone story but there seems to be a Greater mystery afoot. I guess I need to read the rest of the series!
March 17, 2026
Excellent book
The ongoing characters are engaging and fun, the plot is not so torturous that you can't follow what is happening. A good second book in the series.
The ongoing characters are engaging and fun, the plot is not so torturous that you can't follow what is happening. A good second book in the series.
March 19, 2026
Good book
The story lines come together and blend well, suspenseful at times. The desert is the desert, warm, cold, hot, but full of life. The characters are interesting.
The story lines come together and blend well, suspenseful at times. The desert is the desert, warm, cold, hot, but full of life. The characters are interesting.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews