An RM Outdoor Adventures Mystery Series by Beth Groundwater
An RM Outdoor Adventures Mystery #1
Deadly Currents
Beth Groundwater
A new series from award-winning author Beth GroundwaterThe Arkansas River, heart and soul of Salida, Colorado, fuels the small town’s economy and thrums in the blood of river ranger Mandy Tanner. When a whitewater rafting accident occurs, she deftly executes a rescue, but a man dies anyway. Turns out, it wasn’t the rapids that killed him—he was murdered. Tom King was a rich land developer with bitter business rivals, who cheated on his wife, refused to support his kayak-obsessed son, and infuriated environmentalists. Mandy’s world is upended again when tragedy strikes closer to home. Suspicious that the most recent death is connected to Tom King’s murder, Mandy goes on an emotionally turbulent quest for the truth—and ends up in dangerous waters.Praise:"Groundwater's novel is filled with river lore, vivid descriptions, and loving depictions of the varied characters who make up the tight-knit community."—ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE"A remarkable book by an author who clearly knows and loves her territory. Don’t miss it!"—NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER "Comes rushing at you from the first page like roiling whitewater, and culminates in a riveting climax that lives up to this book's name. If you like outdoor adventure and gripping characters, this one's a must-read."—SANDI AULT, Mary Higgins Clark and WILLA Award-winning author of the WILD Mystery series“A heart-racing debut with as many twists and turns and unexpected upsets as a ride through the rapids itself.”—MARGARET COEL, author of The Silent SpringFrom Publishers WeeklyThis enjoyable first in a new cozy series from Groundwater (To Hell in a Handbasket) introduces Mandy Tanner, "a brand new seasonal river ranger" on Colorado's Arkansas River. When Mandy goes to the rescue of two people swept overboard while whitewater rafting, she manages to save only one. The death of real estate developer Tom King, of an apparent heart attack, threatens the viability of Mandy's uncle's rafting business, which provided the guide and equipment King used. Determined to prove that King's death wasn't her uncle's fault, Mandy is vindicated after the autopsy reveals that the developer was poisoned. Plenty of people wanted King dead, including his wife, upset by his philandering, and a business rival. The authentic details of whitewater rafting compensate for the routine detection and the less than compelling vicissitudes of Mandy's love life. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. From BooklistGroundwater (A Real Basket Case, 2007) launches a new, action-packed series featuring white-water guide Mandy Tanner. Mandy, a river ranger at her uncle's white-water rafting business, pulls a man from the river as part of her first day on the job. The man dies, but he did not drown. The victim, Tom King, was a real-estate developer with lots of nasty rivals. He also cheated on his wife and refused to support his son, an avid kayaker. He managed to make many environmentalists very unhappy, too. When Mandy's uncle dies suddenly, she suspects something more than a heart attack and wonders whether the two deaths are related. Her independent investigation leads her through some very rough water. Readers who enjoy fast-moving stories and wilderness environments will keep turning the pages of this promising series debut. --Barbara Bibel
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