Murder at Cottonwood Creek (Stella and Lyndy Mystery series Book # 7) by Clara McKenna

 

Far from England and their beloved Morrington Hall, Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst and his American wife, heiress and equestrian Stella Kendrick—now Lady Lyndhurst—find fossils and murder in Montana . . .

Led by his passion for paleontology, Lyndy’s father, Lord Atherly, has traveled all the way to Montana, to explore the fossil-rich horse ranch owned by Stella’s mother, Katherine, and her second husband, Ned Smith. Urged by Lady Atherly to look after her husband, Stella and Lyndy follow in his wake. Stella is excited to be reunited with her mother, and Lyndy is eager to experience the real “Wild West.” Both are equally thrilled to participate in a fossil dig.

But when a local man who was guarding the dig site overnight is found the next morning dead in a creek bed, the couple fear his death may not have been an accident—especially when things get wilder still. The paleontologist on the dig has his notebook stolen, several fossil bones disappear, and a second body is found in the research tent.

No one is above suspicion—a rival paleontologist up to some skullduggery, members of their own crew, even Lord Atherly himself. Stella and Lyndy must keep digging to unearth the clues that will expose a killer in their midst—before more bones must be buried . . .  (Summary via Goodreads)

I have not read any of the Stella and Lyndy Mystery books and starting with Murder at Cottonwood Creek, the seventh book, may not have been ideal.  However, it sure was an exciting story !!!  I realize there are things that "went over my head' because there is a lot of history going back six books but quite frankly it doesn't matter.  I still fell in love with it all.

In Murder at Cottonwood Creek main characters Stella and her husband are traveling to Montana to bring some horses to Stella's mother's ranch.  While there besides visiting with her mother, her mother's husband, and their son (Stella's brother who she hasn't met), they will be seeing Lyndy's father who is there on a paleontologist dig.  

Unfortunately, soon after they arrive a local man helping at the dig site is found dead.  Stella doesn't believe that the man was just drunk and fell down the embankment to his death even though the coroner is ruling it an accident.  Sadly, Stella has had too much experience with dead bodies and death to ignore things.

While she tries to wrap her head around that, there are more incidents, accidents and questionable things that suggest something bigger is occurring .....

Murder at Cottonwood Creek, like I said is the seventh book in the Stella and Lyndy Mystery series written by Clara McKenna and if you are like me and just hearing about it, I hope you will take the time to go back and read the previous books.  If not, I hope you will follow the series and read any future books.  I know that is my plan going forward.  This book was full of exciting storylines, lovable characters and moved at a nice pace so that you are able to thoroughly enjoy it all .... although I guess the pace is up to you.