Those Ties That Bind by Kim Janine Ligon

 About the Book: Something is seriously wrong at the Garland Regional Hospital when, instead of delivering healthy babies for adoption at The Obstetrical Center, teenage mothers are admitted to the ER, close to death and beyond resuscitation. 

          Hospital CEO Evelyn Langford's efforts to investigate the problem are hampered by her complicated relationship with her secretive brother, Frank, a few of her hospital subordinates, and, surprisingly, FBI Special Agent Rance Thompson. A new acquaintance whom she met while on vacation, he has come to town to investigate potential links between the perinatal deaths and a string of missing teenage girls.

          Frank’s increasingly erratic behavior, along with the growing attraction between Evelyn and the younger agent, only complicate the search into reasons behind the deaths of too many young women—and time is running out for other ‘clients’ still living at The Center.

Our Review: Pregnant or newly delivered teens are dying at an adoption mill known as The Center. Facts surrounding the teens and their care are few as well as murky. So starts an adventure into human trafficking, illicit baby selling and medical malpractice which borders on homicide.

          Flavor all that with a late in life romance between a plucky hospital CEO and an FBI secret agent man and you’ve got yourself with a winner of a story.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Those Ties That Bind merits a 4.5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Gone Crazy by Terry Korth Fischer

 Revealing secrets which small towns long to keep can be murderous.

 About the Book: A formal declaration of love scares the bejesus out of small-town Detective Rory Naysmith. As Valentine’s Day approaches, he evaluates his relationship with bookkeeper Esther Mullins, and decides to take her on a romantic date that ends with a poet’s murder. Assigned to the case, Rory pushes his private life aside. Things gets tricky after Esther is appointed Executrix for the estate—then rumors start that place a priceless item among the poet’s many possessions.

     The race is on to unearth the treasure and solve the murder, but it leaves Rory wondering if Esther will live long enough to become his Valentine—or end up as the murderer’s next victim. 

 Our Review: The author’s use of wry humor on the part of laconic police detective Rory Naysmith adds to the quirky cast of characters populating this unique Nebraskan community. To her credit, Korth Fischer has infused Native American customs and traditions, as well as tribal beliefs into the sub plot—making this third in the Rory Naysmith mystery series a true jewel in crime fiction. Well done!!

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Gone Crazy merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Waltz on the Big Meadow

 Widowed laundress gets a second chance at life and love.

 About the Book:  It's 1897, and Irene, an abandoned wife and mother with a rebellious teenage daughter, faces the dilemma of every single woman at the turn of the century: how to earn enough money for her meager existence while maintaining respectability. The gossips say her laundry business is a sham because she counts among her customers the women who ply their trade at the town’s bordello as well as the men from the local logging camp. After she takes in a border—Elias, a married doctor who arrives without his bride—wagging tongues go to work overtime.

The romance between Irene and Elias, fraught with obstacles and heartache, will never come to fruition unless each learns to look beyond the past in order to forge a future.

 Our Review: With a gift for non-stop action, author Bell hits all the high notes with this second chance at love story. She brings a dreary Western town to life with spot-on dialogue and patois of the turn of the century social mores and customs. The myriad characters jump off the page which only adds to the obstacles against Irene and Elias as they battle day in and say out to find a semblance of happiness. This book is a winner on many levels.

 On a scale of 1-5, Waltz on the Big Meadow merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews