Dr. Katie McCarty is pleased to be called into a horse case by local Deputy Sheriff Shallamon.  It seems that a well bred Impressive colt has been castrated in his stall.  To make things worse, this isn’t the only colt that has been suddenly, unexpectedly gelded.  In Impressive Bravado, Katie works against the clock to determine who has carried out this deed and also what their motive may be.

Katie is able to investigate the crime scene of the second unexpected castration.  Here the reader is introduced to an unusual horse psychic, a group of teenage girls with well bred, expensive colts as well as an underlying current of tension.  Katie cannot understand why so many young girls have access to such hormone charged colts and as she sees a theme for the girls getting hurt by their horses, she wonders who else is concerned about this – and just what extremes they will go to, to stop the young women from getting hurt.

Impressive Bravado by K. A. Jordan

Impressive Bravado is an extremely informative horse novella.  It explores well the genetic issue of Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) that was able to be traced back to one particular influential sire in the Quarter Horse Breed, Impressive.  Author K. A. Jordan aptly describes the issues that arose once this was discovered – and how the industry seemed to form two sides on what should be done about the issue.

With a very interesting horse genetic focus, Impressive Bravado is a short story that is bound to entertain as well as educate.  It is easy to read and also flows well, moving along at a nice pace.  The conclusion wraps up well making it a short, effective as well as enjoyable read.  Fans of the Quarter Horse breed will enjoy the story whilst also perhaps finding the topic a little controversial.  For those unfamiliar with the history of the Quarter Horse and HYPP, it’s bound to be a read that they find enlightens them.

Author: K. A. Jordan
Fiction – mystery
In My Library? As an eBook.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.

In Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash, 26 year old Jenna is a horse masseuse.  She lives in a beaten up trailer and barely survives from one pay to the next.  She is resourceful and carries out extra work whenever she can for cash, food or another item she needs to get by.  Any money she is able to make, she uses to fund her younger sister undertaking a college degree.  Jenna may be seen as the town trailer trash, but she is hard working and eager to help her sister make something of herself.

Things are all going to plan until the local equine centre Three Brooks where she works is taken over by a ‘corporate shark’.  Jenna finds herself suddenly up against a ruthless business man.  He is keen to cut out any employees who are not doing their job, are wasting time and money or worse yet, stealing from the business.

Not one to be intimidated by a bullying male, Jenna stands up to Derek Burke who is keen to make a lot of changes at Three Brooks before he flies out and handles another business takeover.  Jenna defends the lying Wally Turner who managed the facility – and always looked out for her, her younger sister and their mother.  Wally is like family to Jenna and she fights tooth and nail to keep the manager employed.  Derek works just as hard to find a valid reason to fire him.

In time the other staff members realise that Jenna isn’t scared of Burke – in fact, he seems to like her audacity.  They use this as best they can to get from the intimidating man anything they can to make their job easier – or more appealing to do.

Thoroughbreds and Trailer Trash

Burke is a stickler for education and promises raises to all staff who are suitably qualified.  Keen to improve the reputation of Three Brooks, he is aiming to bring in high paying clientele that have racehorses.  Jenna is dismayed that this new man feels only expensive horses are worth treating, not local ponies that also have lameness issues.  The two have an ongoing battle as Jenna focuses on the worth of every equine whilst Burke tries to cater the facility to high paying clients.

In amongst their conflict there is an obvious attraction and Jenna works hard to fight her interest in the ruthless man.  Although the others think he’s an ogre, she can see he has a good heart – and even relents as she pushes things.  But that doesn’t mean she’s about to get in his bed.  Jenna saw what an overbearing relationship did to her mother – and how it ultimately destroyed their family.  She has no interest in getting her heart involved.  It’s a pity her heart isn’t paying any attention to her plans.

Author: Bev Petterson
Fiction – adult
In My Library? As an eBook.
Want it? Get it now on Amazon.