Dark Horse - B.J. Daniels (HI #1725 - Aug 2017)

Series: Whitehorse Montana: The McGraw Kidnapping (Book 1)

Burdened by family secrets, this cowboy rides alone

For twenty-five years, the case of the McGraw twins kidnapping has remained unsolved. As the eldest son, Cull oversees the McGraw horse ranch, wary of prying eyes. So when true-crime writer Nikki St. James comes forward with new information, Cull can't believe his father invites her onto the compound. His family has suffered enough -- he's not about to let St. James snoop and ruin them completely. But Nikki finds the eldest McGraw's protectiveness as endearing as it is aggravating. After all, this case is personal to her, too… And her secrets can set the truth free -- if they don't destroy the McGraws first.

Good beginning to the new series. Nikki is a true crime writer who has picked a twenty-five-year-old kidnapping case as the subject of her next book. She has contacted Travers McGraw, patriarch of the family, and received his blessing and an invitation to stay at the ranch and interview anyone she wants. What she hasn't told anyone about is her personal connection to the case. Her father was one of the accused kidnappers, and she wants to find the information that will clear his name.

Cull is Travers McGraw's oldest son. He was a child when his infant brother and sister were kidnapped, but it still haunts him today. He is protective of his father and the rest of the family and resents the attention they still receive because of the disappearance. The upcoming twenty-fifth anniversary is expected to be even worse. He isn't happy about Nikki's presence, fearing that whatever she stirs up will be detrimental to Travers' already shaky health.

The suspense of the story is really good. Nikki has a good track record of being able to unearth previously unknown information about cases. I liked that she doesn't just depend on police and newspaper reports, instead going back to the sources. I loved seeing how she was able to pull unrealized memories from various people. I especially enjoyed her conversations with the brothers and her compassion and sensitivity as she questioned them. Nikki also has good instincts, and through her eyes, several people move up the suspect list. It's obvious that someone doesn't want Nikki digging into the past when she is attacked along a deserted road. There are several twists and turns leading to a couple of surprise revelations. One deserving person gets what is coming to them thanks to Nikki's work. Some new information about the kidnapping is uncovered, resolving some questions but leaving others unanswered. I'm looking forward to the other books and getting the rest of the story.

The development of the relationship between Nikki and Cull doesn't take up much of the story. Though Cull is initially antagonistic to her, he can't deny that he is also attracted. Though protective of his family, he can't help but admire her determination. I liked seeing him warm up to her as he sees how much she cares about finding the truth. Nikki is just as attracted to Cull. Though each suspect that their feelings are growing deeper than expected, neither is willing to take the risk of bringing them out into the open. I loved seeing Cull's two brothers gang up on him to get him to see the truth and do something about it. The ending was pretty sweet, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in later books.