Cat Latimer and her writer’s retreat group go on a hiking trip—but a murderer has been lurking off the beaten path . . .
Cat’s sweetheart, Seth, is going all out on an outing into the local mountains—for the benefit of the writing group Cat’s hosting at her Colorado B&B. But when they try to identify some plant and animal life, they find death instead. The body belongs to a man with a gold claim a few miles away. Instead of striking it rich, he’s been struck down.
To his surprise, Seth recognizes the victim from his military days—and up to now believed he’d already died during his last tour of duty. Now Cat has to solve this mystery before the killer takes a hike . . .
Release Date: Jan 28, 2020
Series: A Cat Latimer Mystery
Book: 6
Publisher: Kensington
Price: $5.99
Author Cat Latimer enjoys running retreats for writers in Aspen Hills, Colorado. Except for the attendee from the local college not quite fitting in with the other four participants, the retreat is starting out well. Cat and the rest of the group are enjoying a hike led by Cat’s boyfriend, Seth Howard. However, the hike comes to an abrupt halt when the group finds a dead body. Even more shocking is the body is identified as a man who served in Seth’s army platoon, who was resumed dead during a mission ten years ago in Germany! Seth doesn’t want to talk about his experiences in the army, but Cat is determined to find some solutions in this unusual case.
This is the sixth book in the Cat Latimer series and only the second book in the series I have read. Cat and Seth have a complicated history, which is summarized for readers like me who haven’t followed all of Cat’s previous adventures. I thought it was easy to get to know both Cat and Seth even though I had only read one of the prior books. Cat is a little immature for her age, but still and intelligent and and an easy to like character. Seth is supportive of his girlfriend’s amateur sleuthing and her need for independence, and the two make a good couple. I find it harder to connect with Cat’s business partner Shana. I can’t figure out if I like her or not because not enough information is given about her, at least in this book.
The mystery about Seth’s old army buddy, Chance, is intriguing, but gets a little confusing before the loose ends are tied up. However, the search for the truth kept my interest through to the very end. Cat’s Uncle Pete is the chief of police and his girlfriend is a retired deputy from Alaska who also searches for clues. I like the way they discuss the investigation with Cat and everyone compares notes on what they have learned to be able to put all the pieces together and solve the case.
This book has many good points, including the characters and the setting, but my favorite part is the actual writing advice that is included. Cat relays advice to the aspiring authors attending her retreat and much of that wisdom is included in the story. It makes the book unique and makes the character of Cat, who is a published author, seem more real. Since the attendees in this installment do a lot of writing on their own, there isn’t as much of this aspect as in the other books in this series that I had read. However, there are several details included about writing and the publishing industry that are informative and interesting to read. I enjoy the mixture of writing advice, mystery, and the book’s beautiful Colorado setting. Those who follow this series or who like other books by Lynn Cahoon will enjoy his book. I think the book will also appeal to fans of Ellery Adams and Jenn McKinlay.
~ Christine
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