The Clincher: A Horseshoer Mystery

Description

Clinching is the technique used to bend a driven horseshoe nail to hold the shoe to a hoof. Rainy Dale is The Clincher, a twenty-something high school-dropout turned farrier (horseshoer) who is haunted by a secret she carries. Estranged from her California d-list actress momma and her ranch hand Texas daddy, she tracked down her childhood horse in small-town Oregon-a land full of cowboys and their horses-then stayed to build a life with her tools, steel, and forge. She's sleeping in a garage and trying not to fall for her landlord, the hapless and hopeful chef, Guy, who is determined to create the perfect souffle while Rainy would prefer to just stuff her mouth with fuel for her physically demanding job. As the new kid in town, Rainy has an uphill battle to prove herself, especially to her male clients, but when one of her clients turns up dead, Rainy is in over her head as both a suspect and a seeker of the truth. The Clincher is the first in a series of horseshoer mysteries featuring the irrepressible, irreverent, and irresistible Rainy Dale and her loveable and unlikely side-kick (her culinarily inclined boyfriend, Guy).

Lisa Preston turned to writing after careers as a fire department paramedic and a city police officer. She is the author of the highly acclaimed, best-selling novels, Orchids and Stone and Measure of the Moon. She is also the author of several non-fiction books and articles on the care and training of dogs and horses. Away from her desk, she spends hours on backcountry trails as a runner and rider, sometimes combining her two outdoor pursuits via the obscure sport of Ride and Tie. She lives with her husband, their Malinois, and two Akhal Tekes on Washington State's vast Olympic Peninsula. Visit her website at lisapreston.com

"An exuberantly quirky series opener ... The tough and irascible but innately good-hearted Rainy, determined to rise above her past, is brought to vivid life by Preston, whose effortless prose immerses readers in rural Cowdry, populated by horses that are just as interesting as its human residents. ... The exciting, crowd-pleasing finale will leave readers breathless and eagerly awaiting Rainy's next adventure."-Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "For those who enjoy both mysteries and horses, it's a must." -Library Journal "Can a woman whose life is all about horses and a man whose life is all about food make a go of it? A rousing novel. The mystery leaves plenty of open questions for the tough but needy heroine while immersing the reader in all things equine." -Kirkus Reviews "Lisa Peston's The Clincher hits like a nailing hammer and won't let go-her horseshoeing sleuth, Rainy Dale, is a new and distinctive voice in crime fiction."-Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire series "Fast-paced, absorbing and fun to boot, The Clincher grabs your attention from the first paragraph and never loosens its grip. Rainy Dale-horseshoer with sass-is one of the freshest and most original sleuths to come along in mystery fiction. May she live on and on!"-Margaret Coel, New York Times bestselling author of Winter's Child "The Clincher runs at full gallop from first page to last with sharp-eyed Rainy Dale leading the charge. Lisa Preston's writing is so vivid you'll think you're sitting in the saddle and you'll finish knowing you need to see Rainy Dale ride again."-Mark Stevens "Rainy Dale-an engaging character with a unique voice who can shoe horses like nobody's business!"-J.A.Jance "Preston creates a riveting tale in her first thriller, intertwining the past with the present for an exciting ride that will keep readers hanging on until the very end." -Booklist (for Orchids and Stones) In Praise of The Horseshoer Mystery Series: "Rainy Dale-an engaging character with a unique voice who can shoe horses like nobody's business!" -- New York Times best-selling author JA Jance "An exuberantly quirky series opener ... The tough and irascible but innately good-hearted Rainy, determined to rise above her past, is brought to vivid life by Preston, whose effortless prose immerses readers in rural Cowdry, populated by horses that are just as interesting as its human residents. ... The exciting, crowd-pleasing finale will leave readers breathless and eagerly awaiting Rainy's next adventure."-Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "For those who enjoy both mysteries and horses, it's a must." -Library Journal "Can a woman whose life is all about horses and a man whose life is all about food make a go of it? A rousing novel. The mystery leaves plenty of open questions for the tough but needy heroine while immersing the reader in all things equine." -Kirkus Reviews "Lisa Peston's The Clincher hits like a nailing hammer and won't let go-her horseshoeing sleuth, Rainy Dale, is a new and distinctive voice in crime fiction."-Craig Johnson, author of the Walt Longmire series "Fast-paced, absorbing and fun to boot, The Clincher grabs your attention from the first paragraph and never loosens its grip. Rainy Dale-horseshoer with sass-is one of the freshest and most original sleuths to come along in mystery fiction. May she live on and on!"-Margaret Coel, New York Times bestselling author of Winter's Child "The Clincher runs at full gallop from first page to last with sharp-eyed Rainy Dale leading the charge. Lisa Preston's writing is so vivid you'll think you're sitting in the saddle and you'll finish knowing you need to see Rainy Dale ride again."-Mark Stevens "Rainy Dale-an engaging character with a unique voice who can shoe horses like nobody's business!"-J.A.Jance "Preston creates a riveting tale in her first thriller, intertwining the past with the present for an exciting ride that will keep readers hanging on until the very end." -Booklist (for Orchids and Stones) In Praise of The Horseshoer Mystery Series: "Rainy Dale-an engaging character with a unique voice who can shoe horses like nobody's business!" -- New York Times best-selling author JA Jance