Staged for Murder: A Tails and Trails Mystery

by Hailey Hartley

Park Ranger Sophie Brennan thought the hardest part of her job was explaining to tourists why they shouldn't feed the bears. That was before she discovered a body staged among the life-sized figures at Pine Ridge State Park's beloved Winter Wonderland display. With the holiday trail opening cancelled and a killer on the loose, Sophie finds herself doing a lot more than her usual trail maintenance and wildlife education. Armed with her sharp instincts, her knowledge of the park's secrets, and her loyal German Shepherd mix Ranger, she's determined to figure out who turned a cheerful seasonal attraction into a crime scene.

The victim is Victor Hastings, a cutthroat real estate developer who made enemies faster than most people make friends. From farmers fighting to save their land to business partners locked in bitter disputes, Victor left a trail of destruction through the small mountain town. As Sophie digs deeper, she uncovers a web of blackmail, betrayal, and long-simmering revenge that spans years. With local Police Chief Ben Torres warning her to stay out of danger and her best friends Jamie and Patty helping track down leads, Sophie discovers she has a real talent for investigation—even if it's definitely not in her job description.

Between fielding calls from concerned visitors, replacing boundary markers, and keeping Ranger from collecting every stick in the forest, Sophie races to identify the killer before they strike again. In a case where nearly everyone had motive and the evidence keeps piling up in unexpected places, it'll take all of Sophie's people skills and Ranger's nose for trouble to uncover the truth. Because in Pine Ridge, not everything is as peaceful as the scenery suggests, and sometimes the most dangerous trails are the ones that lead straight to a murderer.

111 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

Reviews

[Marsha Asquith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clues for Ranger

Sophie enjoys her job as Park Ranger. She enjoys helping people learn about nature and the hiking trails. On a Monday morning, she and her loveable Ranger, a German Shepherd, went out for a quick inspection of the Winter Wonderland Trail, to make sure the holiday display was ready for opening later that morning.
Upon arriving at the display, Sophie noticed a man propped up against the display, dead.
With the dead man being one of, if not the most, hated man in town, police canceled the opening of the trail. It seemed the victim had more enemies and secrets than anyone really knew. Sophie, Jamie and Patty were told to stay out of the investigation. So they were very observant citizens who got people to talk while piecing the puzzle together.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed meeting Sophie and her coworkers at the visitor’s center and wouldn’t mind it if they starred in their own series. I loved Sophie’s dog Ranger, a German Shepherd mix with a nose for clues or for what might be wrong. Finding a body on the trail wasn’t on Sophie’s to do list that day, but with her coworkers and her trusty Ranger by her side, they managed to solve the case. The showdown was the peaceful type, and I’m sure everyone was happy to get back to the regularly scheduled Winter Wonderland activities.