From the Shadows

Buckhorn, Montana #2

by B.J. Daniels

Dark secrets always come to light…

Some people might dream of inheriting a hotel somewhere as picturesque as Buckhorn, Montana. To Casey Crenshaw, though, her late grandmother’s property is a white elephant to be sold as quickly as possible. The place has been boarded up for years, and locals have murmured about ghost sightings ever since a young woman was murdered there. But it’s not the imaginary ghosts that worry Casey—it’s the flesh-and-blood man who’s throwing a wrench into all her plans.

Finn James intends to find out what really happened at the hotel years ago. Not even the capable, highly independent redhead who owns it will stop him. But though the quest draws Finn and Casey together, digging into the past is dangerous, especially when there are others determined to keep the truth hidden—by any means necessary…

Don’t miss Under a Killer Moon, the next title in B.J. Daniels Buckhorn, Montana series where one small-town marshal will stop at nothing to catch a killer.

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Westerns, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published February 23, 2021

About the author

B.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.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically a mystery with a bit of romance, lots of suspects and two villains as a twist.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many enjoyed this book but it was just an 'OK' addition to the series for me. I always grab and read a BJ Daniels book when she writes them, but this one was a toss and grab for me. I guess I've come to expect the romantic-suspense-second chance-cowboy book when diving in. I would have liked to have seen more of Earl Ray being involved somewhere within the book rather than just mentioning also. This one didn't hit the mark for me but I will always look forward to anything she writes.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Found this book most delightful. I found that the author, B.J Daniels (Goodreads Author), a most pleasant person and very enjoyable to read. Thought she is quite cute. The setting is gorgeous in Buckhorn, Montana. The old hotel, that once counted kings and presidents among its clientele, was the background for a murder 10 years ago. Casey has come to say goodbye to the old building her grandmother had owned and run until her health failed.

She wasn't prepared for the group who had worked there at the time of the murder showing up for an anniversary weekend. Nor was Casey prepared for the handsome stranger who was determined to solve the old mystery before the hotel was demolished. When two of the group mysteriously disappeared, the mystery becomes even more sinister, and Finn is afraid for Casey's safety. Can a serial murderer be stopped?

Hard to put down. So many viable suspects in the now 10 year old murder, but also the strange happenings of this reunion. Accompanied by a sweet romance, you can't help but want to read it as fast as you can. Enjoy local beauty and it makes me want to be there and enjoy the scenary. Highly recommend this book. Fun book to read and ponder. Ms Daniels doesn't disappoint. A story full
of mystery, murder and love with an ending you won't see coming so good.

Dark Secrets always come to light. Some people might dream of inheriting a hotel somewhere as picturesque as Buckhorn, Montana. To Buckhorn, Montana. To Casey Crenshaw, though, her late grandmother’s property is a white elephant to be sold as quickly as possible. The place has been boarded up for years, and locals have murmured about ghost sightings ever since a young woman was murdered there. But it’s not the imaginary ghosts that worry Casey—it’s the flesh-and-blood man who’s throwing a wrench into all her plans.

Finn James intends to find out what really happened at the hotel years ago. Not even the capable, highly independent redhead who owns it will stop him. But though the quest draws Finn and Casey together, digging into the past is dangerous, especially when there are others determined to keep the truth hidden—by any means necessary…

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey goes back to her grandmother’s hotel to sell it and finds someone living there. He tells her that the staff from the summer she helped at the hotel when a girl was murdered has been invited for the weekend. Since the murdered girl had been awful to all the staff and the murderer has never been solved Casey is sure it is a bad idea.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware The Crenshaw Hotel! They say it is haunted.

Casey Crenshaw spent her summers at her grandmother's hotel, The Crenshaw, in Buckhorn, Montana. She worked as a staff member there in her teens...until that summer, the summer fellow staff member Megan Broadhurst was found murdered in the woods beside the hotel. Casey never went back after that. Megan's murderer was never found but visitors to the hotel said her ghost haunted the hotel. It has been closed down for a couple years since Casey's grandmother became ill. Her grandmother has passed away now and Casey has returned to Buckhorn to sell the hotel and see it demolished. When she arrives at the hotel she is surprised to find a stranger had been staying there for months. That's when Casey first meet Finn James. Casey was further surprised by the appearance of the other former staff members from the summer Megan was murdered. They all said they had received invitations for a reunion weekend. Casey sure didn't invite them and no one admitted to sending the invitations out either. They were the last people she ever wanted to see again. But Finn James was a different story. She was attracted to him.

Finn James is a billionaire who recently sold his company and disappeared. People speculated that he was dead. He sure wasn't dead. He was hiding out in The Crenshaw Hotel in Buckhorn, Montana trying to solve the mystery of who murdered Megan Broadhurst. He knew Megan in his youth. She was his first love. Well he thought he knew her. What he found out about her from Casey Crenshaw and the other former staff members drew a completely different picture of what Megan was really like. She was mean and they all hated her. But who murdered her? He was sure Casey Crenshaw wasn't the murderer. Finn had found Casey's grandmother's journals as he explored the hotel looking for clues to solve the murder. Finn felt he knew Casey from reading what her grandmother had written about her. Finn and Casey teamed up to investigate Megan's murder. Finn couldn't help but feel protective of Casey and loving her.

From the Shadows by B.J. Daniels is the second book in her Buckhorn, Montana series. This is a well-written story. There are many intricate details to keep straight and author B.J. Daniels does an excellent job of doing just that. She keeps up the suspense of who killed Megan with character flashbacks and memories. I found this to be a very interesting way to move the storyline along. The development of the relationship between Casey and Finn builds as trust builds. I liked how the relationship between the two ended up being so strong after what they go through. The ending was a surprise. This is one of those books where you want to go back and reread it to see what clues you missed.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Crenshaw had moved to Buckhorn temporarily. She has inherited her grandmother's hotel when she passed and she plans to sell it as fast as she can. She has no ties to Buckhorn or the hotel anymore. The memory of a previous employee and colleague of Casey's was murdered there and it is said that her ghost haunts the place. When she arrives, she finds that someone has already had the power turned on and is living there. Finn James is in hiding, after recently making a killing when he sold his business, so why was he in Buckhorn? Then the others that worked there when the murder occurred start showing up for a reunion. What is going on? Who is behind these invitations?

From the Shadows is a romantic suspense story that had some likable characters, action and twists. The story is a mystery that has Casey, with Finn's help, trying to figure out a cold case. Who killed their young co-worker years ago and was it one of them? I wasn't all that fond of Casey at the beginning of the story, but she quickly grew on me and I was rooting for her to stay safe, find the killer and maybe change her mind about the hotel and stay in Buckhorn. Finn was a great partner to Casey. He was strong and smart and was able to help her out with a few of her problems. There were a lot of suspects to the murder as they all seemed to have a motive, but some were stronger than others. With danger around every corner, the investigation didn't go smoothly. Finn and Casey gradually grow on one another and there is the romance, but it doesn't take over the book. I liked seeing several of the characters from the first book make an appearance. Once again the culprit was not my guess, but that just makes a story more interesting to me. With a great story, wonderful characters and a well-plotted mystery, I recommend this book to those who enjoy mysteries with suspense and a bit of romance. If you enjoy audiobooks, Corey Snow does a great job with this one.

[Michelle Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read. A few parts a bit predictable or not quite believable but this mystery lover did not guess who done it and that’s always fun!

[Myrn🩶 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read from this author and I am now a fan. Despite some of its not so original plot (kept thinking of the game Clue), this turned out to be a great mystery book with romance. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a different type of book than I usually read. However, the blurb got me especially the small town, inheritance and suspense. The hero was fun. From his POV he is genuine and curious about the heroine. Everyone involved suspects the other of organising the "reunion" as being the murderer. However, the hero is kinda external to the group of staffers at the time of the death.

He has been squatting at the hotel as a homeless person -however so rich but in hiding. He has read all the diaries of the grandmother that had passed away and bascially fell in love with the heroine from reading those. So she had a headstart. He didn't but she was attracted to him anyway!

It was fun reading the group reunion and all their secrets but at the same time confusing as so many POV's and all their secrets and young love from the past. The culprit was kinda easy to guess but still fun to get to it.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars
This made for a good nighttime audio, and I liked the setting of an old hotel where a murder had taken place several years ago. Even though part of the story line was not real believable, it proved to be entertaining and at the end there were several complexities that were nicely resolved.

[Marie Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good ,I enjoyed book #1 more than this one though

[Madi Nally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expected a cowboy romance and ended up with a billionaire in hiding / murder mystery?? 🥲

[Mary Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A menagerie of suspects

Hard to put down. So many viable suspects in the now 10 year old murder, but also the strange happenings of this reunion. Accompanied by a sweet romance,you can't help but want to read it as fast as you can. Enjoy.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with gripping suspense and a bit of romance. Casey's grandmother recently passed away, leaving the old Crenshaw hotel to Casey. An elegant old hotel in its heyday, hosting the rich and famous, it has been boarded up since her grandmother became ill. Casey wants nothing more than to sell it as soon as she can and leave Buckhorn in her past. She spent her summers there with her grandmother and worked in the hotel when she was old enough. That all came to an end when she was sixteen and a young woman was murdered. Rumors of ghosts abound, but it's the all-too-human man who has been living in the hotel who has her attention now.

Finn James is a multibillionaire who, at loose ends after selling his company, arrived at the Crenshaw looking for answers about what happened to a former girlfriend. He searched the hotel from top to bottom, looking for clues, but turned up very little. Two things Finn found were Anna Crenshaw's journals and a notebook with one very disturbing entry. He found Anna's journals intriguing, especially the parts about Casey.

I loved the first meeting between Finn and Casey. While he expected her arrival, she had no clue that he was there. Sparks flew between them (the shower scene was terrific), but Casey was wary of trusting him. Casey received quite a shock when he showed her the invitation he got inviting him to a reunion of people who knew Megan, the murdered woman. That shock was compounded when the other staff members that summer also arrived, having received the same invitation. Finn immediately suspects that someone in the group has a hidden agenda and worries about Casey's safety. I enjoyed seeing them grow closer as they worked together. After their slightly rough beginning, it didn't take long for them to trust each other. I liked how Anna's journals gave Finn insight into Casey and what she'd been through. I loved his protectiveness and how it led to helping out over the sale of the hotel and land. Casey carries some guilt over something she did that summer, and it weighs on her until she tells Finn about it. I liked how their growing feelings for each other helped them heal and move on from the past. I loved the ending and the epilogue.

As the weekend progresses, revelations about Megan come out. Each staff member reveals some episode that makes them suspects in her murder. Everyone suspects everyone else, and it only gets worse when two people disappear. Ghostly appearances and strange noises add to the tension. That tension ramps up when Finn and Casey make a grisly discovery behind a locked door. An unexpected twist lands Casey in extreme danger, and I was on the edge of my seat until she was out and safe. But the threat isn't over yet, as Megan's killer remains unidentified. But with new information, it doesn't take long to figure it out. The conclusion was a bit of a surprise but quite satisfactory.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5/5*

This is a romantic suspense and the second story in a series set in Buckhorn, Montana. In this case, Casey Crenshaw is returning to the hotel she inherited from her grandmother, a hotel with a reputation for being haunted.

Casey spent many happy summers there until ten years ago when a young woman working there was murdered and the murderer never found. She didn’t anticipate Finn James being there when she arrived – she didn’t know him but someone has sent an invitation to a special pre-demolition weekend there. It turns out similar invitations have been sent to all the staff who worked there when the murder occurred, too. . . . . The killer may well be amongst them, but who is it and how can they keep themselves safe?

This is a story of investigating the past, endeavouring to being a killer to justice but putting many others at risk whilst doing so. It is a suspense filled story, with many twists and turns to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

My thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I voluntarily read and have honestly reviewed.

[Tammy Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Shadows was a book that if you wanted to keep reading it you could and it was a book that I had a hard time putting down. B.J. did a extremely fantastic job with because I thought the description was right there and the characters where a good match.
How often did you get left a hotel that everyone thought was haunted from a summer staff help.
Well Anna Crenshaw had Crenshaw Hotel and when she passed away it was left to her granddaughter Casey Crenshaw.
Casey Crenshaw what a hotel manager in California and wanted to do what needed to be done and get back to work.
Finnegan James a Multibillionaire Bachelor who was know to be missing and to be dead.
Summer staff that showed up:
Jason Underwood, Patience Riley, Jen Mullen, Shirley Langer, Benjamin Travers, Claude Drake , Devlin Wright all had invitations for the reunion.
They all couldn't figure out why they where having a reunion of 10 yrs of Megan's murder.
Jason was trying to go back in time and figure out where everybody was at the time of the murder.
But when Casey sold the hotel to Finn that is when things started to get strange.
Finn had found some interesting information in his time alone at the hotel looking for who killed Megan. When Casey came he had to find the right time to tell her what he had found. She had to come to terms with what she did and tell him. He was there to protect her and he was going to make sure she was safe. Everyone didn't know who did it they blamed each other till the very end.
B.J. did a fantastic with pulling you and keeping you in the story kept you guess who did what and when and why. This was one book I would give B.J. 10 stars on because it a one of my favorite books of hers I have read.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the Shadows in the second book in the Buckhorn, Montana series by BJ Daniels. This series is more mystery - with a serious thriller edge, than her other series. In this novel, the old Crenshaw Hotel in Buckhorn, Montana was the setting. This old hotel used to be filled with the rich and famous. Anna Crenshaw ran the hotel with the help of teenagers she found every summer and her own granddaughter, Casey. After Anna’s death, Casey inherited the old Hotel and is negotiating to sell it.

Only when she went to stay at the hotel to help more the sale along, she found an intruder, Finn, and the beginnings of a reunion of some of the workers from the past. All of it was confusing and surprising. Finn had been there for a few months determined to solve an old crime about one of the teens who were killed, Megan. Someone had sent out invitations to all the workers that summer and they all were there. Then the creepiness started. People disappeared, storms came in, confessions. Meanwhile, Finn and Casey seemed to connect on a deeper level and he bought the hotel from her, but the mystery by this point had turned deadly.

I enjoy BJ Daniels writing and novels. This one did have a thriller twist to it, which added to the suspense. From the Shadows by BJ Daniels is a good read.

[Valri Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

In true BJ Daniels' fashion, another fantastic suspense story set in Montana! This one had a bit of psychological thriller to it also, not just suspense, because there were a lot of mind games going on. As others have stated, a supposedly haunted house is up for sale. Casey Crenshaw's family hotel has been sitting vacant for a couple years and since her grandma died, she's back in town to sell it. Because people have sworn they've seen the ghost of a young girl who died there 10 years ago, people say it's haunted. Finn James, the reclusive billionaire, has been living there for a couple months because he knew the girl who died and he wanted to see if he could discover the killer before Casey came to sell it. Suddenly all the young people who worked there 10 years ago show up for a reunion of sorts and everyone believes it's because the killer is among them. There are so many twists and turns that you really are kept guessing until the end as to who the killer is. Is it someone among the reunion guests or someone different? I loved this book!

[Kea · Rating 5 out of 5]

FROM THE SHADOWS, book two by J.B. Daniels of the Buckhorn, Montana series is a nail-biting novel filled with suspense, a killer on the loose, and a handful of suspects. An unsolved murder reunited those who knew and hated the victim. Is it her ghost that haunts the Crenshaw Hotel or it is something more sinister? Finn James is determined to solve the mystery, but Casey Crenshaw wants to sell the hotel and leave that past behind. Imagine her shock when former employees show up for the weekend. If Casey did not send the invitations, who did? FROM THE SHADOWS guarantees to keep readers glue to their seats in this gripping tale of murder and startling conclusions. J.B. Daniels once again captivates her audience with a cast of characters with secrets and a storyline that moves like dangerous, turbulent rapids. Put on the lifejacket and hang on tight! I received this complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Megann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lets see someone invites the staff of a defunct hotel back for a reunion ten years later and then tries to figure out who killed on of the staff....Seems like it might not be to good but OMG it is wonderful. Finn the victims old flame is also invited. He really wants to figure it out and move on with his lives. The other staff comes because the victim was so hateful and evil to them all they want to flaunt what they have done in their lives and show that she didn't hurt them, but as the story goes on we see she really did. Now are they regretting killing her?
Then there are the one time romances and hurt feeling that are brought forward and new feelings and love that is developing...and of course the killer, a haunted hotel and a dead grandmother and her granddaughter.....
You did it B.J. you have brought the perfect story together with all the elements needed in a book. Congratulations it is wonderful. A must read.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the Buckhorn, MT series, in which Casey Crenshaw has returned to the big old abandoned hotel her grandmother used to run in order to sell it and get on with her life. But someone has invited several former workers to the place to enjoy a reunion of sorts before the hotel is razed.

Finn James isn't expected to be there, but somehow he's also received an invitation, even though his reason for being there has nothing to do with Casey. Or does it? He soon finds himself unable to leave Casey's side when he quickly realizes that she's not safe. But no one knows who killed the mysterious Megan, whom everyone had hated--for different reasons.

When members of the staff suddenly start disappearing and their bodies are found, it's clear that someone no one suspects is the killer. But who? And who's next?

[Carol McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 10 year old murder- will it be solved?

The setting is gorgeous in Buckhorn, Montana. The old hotel, that once counted kings and presidents among its clientele, was the background for a murder 10 years ago. Casey has come to say goodbye to the old building her grandmother had owned and run until her health failed. She wasn't prepared for the group who had worked there at the time of the murder showing up for an anniversary weekend. Nor was Casey prepared for the handsome stranger who was determined to solve the old mystery before the hotel was demolished. When two of the group mysteriously disappeared, the mystery becomes even more sinister, and Finn is afraid for Casey's safety. Can a serial murderer be stopped?

[Kelly Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey returns to her grandmother's hotel, the Crenshaw, to collect some family heirlooms and to oversee the sale of the hotel that holds so many secrets in the small town of Buckhorn, Montana. She is surprised to find that a billionaire under the disguise of a homeless man, has taken up residence in the abandoned hotel. Then former hotel members show up with mysterious invitations to a reunion 10 years in the making. All of the invites have secrets to hide but the big questions are who sent the invitations and who exactly committed murder 10 years ago and what other secrets are hidden in this once glorious hotel? This book was a little slow to start for me, but halfway through, I couldn't put it down.

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

the second book in the buckhorn montana series casey crenshaw goes back to buckhorn she has not been back since she was there when megan broadhurst was murdered. caseys gramma anna has passed away and left her the crenshaw hotel who everyone thinks is haunted. casey just wants to go there get her family treasures and sell the property and hope it is demolished when she gets there finn james is living there he found annas jurnals and looking for megans diary he use to date meagan..but casey is surprised to find all the student helpers arrive they all got an invitation to a murder mystery weekend..casey just want to sell the place and leave .things start to get weird as they all suspect each other of murdering meagan...

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traveling yet again to the area that comes out with intrigue. Casey wants to sell her white elephant as soon as possible inherited from her grandmother. Ghost stories also seem to surround the place that was boarded up so that made it a easy target along with the murder that happened there long ago.Finn whom is already has been looking into the place's past soon teams up with Casey to find the answers to the mystery. They soon have to be alert because someone does not want secrets out so stopping them seems to be in the plans. As usual this author has us in her grip with the mystery. We turn the pages quickly to see who comes out and also what happens with the chemistry.

[Denise Schenk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey Crenshaw has come to town to sell her grandmothers old hotel. She spent a lot of time there growing up until she was sixteen and a girl was murdered. Finn James has been staying in the boarded-up hotel for a few months. He has been seeking answers to the girl's murder 10 years ago. He told locals he was the caretaker.
When Casey arrives to find Finn in residence and the others from that summer showing up also; she doesn't know what to think. Who invited everyone back to the hotel. Finn knows more than he is saying about the murder and Casey just wants to sell and get out of town. Finn and Casey have to trust each other to solve what is going on in town.

[Nancy Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just so - so

The story line was good, but the presentation was just so- so. I did finish the book because the suspense was well hidden to the end. There was a confusing continuity with each chapter. Going from one paragraph to the next the reader is not sure who the author is talking about and the location changes and the time frames jump around with no notice. As a reader of suspense novels I am always intrigued by who done it, and if I could pick up on any clues - well there were so many murderers - I just gave up and finished the book anyway. Sad, the storyline was a good one.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster ride this book takes you on..A good one at that..You are kept guessing at every turn as to who is and has been responsible for the past happenings. I suspected every one for the crime. I can readily admit that.LOL I did have one part figured out halfway through the book but the big reveal I had no clue til it was revealed. If you love a good mystery that keeps you on the edge or your seat and flipping the pages to read than this book is for you! As a big fan of B. J. Daniels this book does not disappoint. I loved it very much! Can't wait for the next one in the series!

[Donna Repsher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so used to reading western romances from Ms. Daniels, I certainly wasn't expecting a 95% murder mystery when I purchased and downloaded this novel. I'm not a big fan of mystery novels to begin with, since I usually know "whodunit" by Chapter 2--not so with this novel at all. Many characters, many suspects, a bit of a romance, and this novel and all the possible suspects kept me guessing until the big reveal near the end. Kudos to Ms. Daniels for a darn good read, a darn good mystery, and plenty of suspense.

[Diana]

Old memories revisited

A great story from beginning to end. I love e adding about haunted hotels and missing women from past decades. The story right inside the questioning of the reunion and why all the staff from ten years ago had returned. As I got close to the end I kept turning the pages faster to try find out all the answers
B.J. Daniels did a marvelous job of keeping you caught up in the goings on the very. Thank you another book. Highly recommend it.