I honestly am not sure why I picked up Unbridled Murder by Leigh Hearon. It’s the third in the Carson Stables Mystery series, and I hadn’t read the first two in the series. I’m not a huge horse fan (I mean, they’re cool… from a distance). I live in the Pacific Northwest, where the book is set, so maybe that’s it. But no matter why I chose to read this book, I did enjoy it.

Annie is the main character. She’s on the board of a local non-profit looking to rescue a couple of horses for their program. They’ve found a feedlot across the state that has some potential horses, and she heads over to pick up a few they have her eye on. While there, she stumbles upon a body, and while she’s the prime suspect, Annie can’t help but try to solve the murder. As I haven’t read the previous books in the series, I can’t tell if she’s gotten better at solving or not, but there was a lot of trial and error here.

The real highlight of this book for me was the whole feedlot aspect. I didn’t know such things existed, and while I might not be a horse enthusiast, I can’t image these slaughterhouses. It was a huge eye-opener and totally tugged at my heartstrings. Ms. Hearon handled the whole situation admirably with a touch of a happy ending for at least this one fictional feedlot.

There were a few times I felt I was missing something by having not read the previous books. The relationships between Annie and her friends are already established, and there were a few times that I felt like I was missing back story. But the mystery itself stands alone quite well.

Unbridled Murder was an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the characters, and the plot was different from anything I’d read before. And it helped that it was in my neck of the woods in Eastern Washington. I can’t say that I’ll read more in the series, but I did enjoy the book. If you’re a horse lover, this mystery might just be for you.

Synopsis:

-A winner right out of the gate!- --Fern Michaels, #1 New York Times bestselling author

After horse trainer and rancher Annie Carson visits a feedlot in eastern Washington, she is determined to save as many horses from slaughter as possible before hightailing it back home--until she discovers the sleazy owner seemingly trampled in his corral. With the fate of the feedlot herd in her hands, Annie must navigate unfamiliar territory while trying to track down a killer and solve an increasingly tangled mystery. But unfortunately for Annie, returning to the Olympic Peninsula alive will be trickier than she ever imagined. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Annie is no-nonsense type of woman and you know where you stand with her. She knows a lot about horses, she loves horses and she is an advocate for horses. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with Annie and find out what is going on in her life. The secondary characters added a lot to the story.

The writing style flows smoothly and it defines the characters very clearly by their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place and listening in on conversations. You can tell that the author has a lot of knowledge of horses, it come through in the pages that she writes.

The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through with a few twists and turns and red herrings thrown in to keep you on your toes.

The subject matter of this book was a little difficult to read about. It was heartbreaking at times to read about how the animals were treated. This was a grittier cozy than most, and at times I found it difficult to read about. I am sure this a real problem and something needs to be done about it, but I just was not expecting the cruelness to show up in my reading. That is only my opinion and others may not feel the same way.

I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys a well crafted mystery. I have read the other books in this series and enjoyed them and I will definitely read the next book when it is released. I just hope the subject matter is a little lighter.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

Unbridled Murder: A Carson Stables Mystery
By Leigh Hearon
Kensington
December 2017

Review by Cynthia Chow

For Annie Carson, almost nothing is more important than horses. In fact, not wanting to compete with her love of horses derailed her previous marriage. So it’s out of the ordinary that the trainer and ranch owner in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is anxiously looking forward to her upcoming date with traveling CEO Marcus Colbert. The one call that would cause her to pause with her makeover activities is from Deputy Tony Elizalde, asking for guidance on horses he plans to rescue from an East Washington shelter. The news that the horses are designated for the slaughterhouse is devastating, but not as shocking as the report that Tony’s plane has gone down over the Snoqualmie Pass.

Taking over the duties to transfer the horses safely back to a quarantined ranch, Annie and her dog Wolf drive her F-250 and borrowed trailer across the state to the insular and very guarded East Washington town. Instead of the planned quick pick-up and getaway, Annie discovers the body of one of the shelter owners shot dead on his ranch. Prevented by a suspicious sheriff from leaving town, Annie’s gun is confiscated while she is stranded in a very dodgy hotel. Annie finds some support from like-minded horse advocates, but an alarming act of vandalism makes her feel even more isolated in the hostile community.

Annie admits that it is her sense of humor that helps to balance out her rather stubborn and very opinionated personality, but she is going to need all of her assertiveness and strength to survive while she is stranded away from her closest allies. Despite their differences in upbringing, she and Marcus have an undeniable physical chemistry, and it is delightful to see how much he genuinely appreciates her prickly personality. What readers will be left with, long after the last page is turned, is a new outlook on the treatment of horses. When they fail to meet expectations or falter in their duties, these often healthy, beautiful animals are discarded or sent out to be killed for food. The author reveals how there are so many causes and cycles that must be broken in order to help the horses, and few will be left unmoved or without broken hearts. A menacing atmosphere pervades the novel, with Annie’s safety always in jeopardy as she never knows whom to trust. The action-packed scenes are stellar, as well as the descriptions of the gorgeous and dangerous Washington wilderness. This third in the series presents a unique heroine, one whose devotion to horses is as admirable as her wit and intelligence.

This is book three in the Carson Stables Mystery Series. i highly recommend the entire series however this can be read as a stand alone. I received a advance reading copy of this book from the publisher which did not influence my review.
In this next in series Annie travels to a feedlot to save some horses from auction. As she connects with the nefarious feedlot owner who is determined to slaughter the horses they exchange words. As the day progresses he is found dead and may be a suspect. She is more determined then ever to save as many horses as possible and must utilize her skills to rescue the horses after the feedlot is shut down. The sleuth is very well crafted in this next in series and I loved the fast paced writing. Every animal lover will appreciate this series.

I love horses so this is a favorite series of mine. As a advocate against horse slaughter I applaud the author for highlighting what many in this country choose to ignore. The slaughter of American horses is a abomination and she writes of it with sensitivity and compassion of a true horse lover. Very well done .

I haven’t found a horse series to enjoy since The Black Stallion and The Saddle Club.Now as you can guess its been awhile since I reader those horse series, and I am not a disappointed reader with this series. The author has created a marvelous character in Annie, and a passion for readers to dig their spurs into.

In some ways this was an easy one for me. In more ways it was hard.
The whole plot of the horses going to feedlots just hit me where it hurts.
I was super excited for the chance to read this Cozy since it was about horses.
I loved getting to know the characters.
The story was emotional for me but I loved it anyway! I loved that Annie was such an advocate for the horses. I could relate to her.
Unbridled Murder is book 3 in the series but it is written as a stand alone.
The cover may take you back to Trixie Belden (it did me) or the latter horse series books. It is an adult version and worthy the read.

I enjoyed Unbrideled Murder and look forward to reading more in the series.

I received a complimentary copy from Great Escapes Tours.

Unbridled Murders its the third in the Carson Stables series, an excellent cozy series full of thrills, twists, horse lore and an engaging set of characters. Annie Carson is on a mission to save 4 horses from a feedlot after her friend Tony is killed. The conditions at the feedlot are appalling, the small town locals are unfriendly at best and another death has Annie under suspicion. Highly recommended.
Thanks to netgalley the publisher for the opportunity read to an opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed this series from the very first book and I have always been intrigued by the design of the series. Annie, a horse lover to the core, always gets me with the beautiful imagery about not only the horses she cares for but the Olympic Peninsula that she calls home. Honestly, I am scared silly of horses...but this book made me want to thrown caution and fear to the wind and start a horse rescue business. It really was that moving and horrifyingly sad. But just as hard as it was to read about the horses in the feedlot, it was equally hard to figure out the mystery in this book. I also was hoping like crazy that the death of a good friend had a surprise ending and didn't really happen. As sad as that was it moved the storyline and made it emotionally charged right from the start. I loved seeing Annie and Marcus' relationship progress in this book...they just keep getting cuter and cuter. Marcus completely "gets" Annie and her obsessive nature over her large and small animal friends, Wolf and horses alike. Again, this series just keeps getting better and better. A definite do not miss! If you loved this book as much as I did you don't want to have to wait for the next in the series. Well good news, you can pre-order Book Four, Runaway Murder, NOW! It is set to be released June 26, 2018!

*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.

If I did not love horses before this book then I definitely would now. Annie really goes above and beyond in this installment to the series. Her friend Tony is killed in a plane crash during a return flight from buying some horses to save from slaughter for their resume ranch. When Annie goes to pick him the horses she finds one of the owners dead and she is the main suspect. What follows is some incredible investigating that goes nicely with the saving of the horses. This is a book that is easy to become emotionally attached to until you are unable to put the book down because you have to know how it ends. If you are a fan of animal cozy mysteries you so have to try this book. I really enjoyed every minute of it and will be looking forward to the next installment. I give it 4/5 stars.

3.5 Stars

Annie Carson is a horse trainer on the Olympic Peninsula in Western Washington. Annie loves horses and hears about numerous horses being held on a feedlot in Eastern Washington waiting to be sold for slaughter. She is able to make arrangements to rescue four of the horses. When she arrives at her destination, she is shocked by the conditions in which the horses are being kept and is saddened by the fact that she isn’t able to save more of the horses destined to be killed. While visiting the feedlot, she discovers the dead body of one of the lot’s owners, trampled in his own corral. However, there is more to the story, and Annie becomes local law enforcement’s prime suspect for murder. She is determined to do what it takes to find the real killer and clear her name, while helping as many horses as she can.

I haven’t read the first two books in this series, but it’s easy to get to know the important characters. Annie Carson is the main character and her passion for horses is contagious. Her generous and charming boyfriend, Marcus Colbert, is likeable and comes through for Annie when she needs help. Both are independent, busy people, but have good chemistry when they are together. There are other side characters that also play important roles in the story, but the real stars are the horses – the horses on Annie’s ranch, Eddie and the other unfortunate horses on the feedlot, and the wild horses running free on Native American land. Animal lovers and horse lovers in particular will enjoy the book. I like horses but don’t have much experience with them, but enjoyed learning more about them, as well as about the lives of horse owners. I wasn’t aware horses in the U.S. were sold to slaughterhouses outside the country, so that part of the book was eye-opening and very sad. The emphasis on horses as part of the story was a fresh take on the cozy mystery and I applaud the author for giving readers something different.

Annie is determined to get to the truth of the murder and is very effective at continuing to dig until she gets to the facts of the case. I like her persistence, but the investigation is the weak part of the book. Annie goes in circles for a while and the pace of the book slows to a point that I was starting to lose interest. Luckily, things pick up and the book concludes with a satisfying and unexpected ending. In fact, things wrap up so neatly that considering all the challenges Annie faces in trying to help the feedlot horses and solve the case, the ending is a bit too pat. However, if given the choice between tragedy and something uplifting, I’ll take the happy ending any time.

~ Christine

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

3rd in the series.

I love Annie and her passion for saving horses. The story-line kept me hooked from the beginning. This series isn't quite as "cozy" as some of the other series I read, it's a little darker, and seems to be a lot focused on shining a light on some of the not so nice things that go on in the horse world. But I think that's what I like about it.

I love that Annie is a strong, independent female lead. That said, I also love that she's learning after years of hard work on her own, that needing help isn't always a bad thing. I also liked that we got to see more of her with Marcus.

I really hope we get to see more of Annie in the future.

It is difficult to say I loved the book when it discusses the slaughter of horses. It is a well told story. Good addition to the series.

Unbridled Murder is the third in Leigh Hearon’s Carson Stables cozy murder mystery series. Now, I love horses and I love thrillers, so this kind of cozy mystery should be right up my alley - more than the endless cat and dog-themed ones which seem to be the majority of cozies.

The problem is, I think, that I’ve come at this one without reading the earlier books in the series, which would probably have established the personality of Annie, the protagonist, rather better. As it was I really struggled to warm to her, even though as a horse-lover she’s probably someone I’d really like if I met her in real life.

The mystery part of the book was well executed, unsurprisingly since the author is a professional private investigator, and based as it is around the rescue of horses destined for slaughter, is sure to appeal to horse lovers everywhere, and undoubtedly readers of earlier books in the series will thoroughly enjoy Annie’s continuing adventures. I just felt as though I didn’t quite get to know her, and because of this, I have to knock the book down to four stars.

This was my first time coming upon this author or series. I didn't know it was the third book in the series at the time but seeing that it combined horses and a mystery I really wanted to read it. I really enjoyed it!

Annie is a horse trainer and rancher and if that isn't enough, is on the board for a non-profit. When she comes across a feedlot that sells horses to slaughterhouses she knows she has to rescue as many as she possibly can. But things keep delaying her and it looks like she may even be a suspect in a murder investigation with unfriendly locals making things even worse.

I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.

Unbridled Murder by Leigh Heron
A Carson Stables Mystery #3

This series has it all: mystery, murder, great characters and romance.

I have been lucky enough to read the first two books in this series so was happy to find out book three had been written. I love that Annie Carson is in her forties and not a young thing that is perfect in every way. She is someone I can relate to and would like to have as a friend. Her romantic interest is worthy of her and worthy of anyone…I mean…gorgeous, wealthy and dedicated to making her happy…what’s not to like?

In this story the focus is again on horses and murder and solving “who done it”. Annie has recently lost a friend, Tony, when the story begins. Tony originally went to a feedlot to rescue some horses for an NGO program he, Annie and others had undertaken. When he was unable to pick up the horses Annie took up the responsibility and drove to the feedlot to do so. Little did she know going in that she would end up staying longer, be a suspect in a murder, have hoodlums disrupt her stay and become so immersed in the fate of over fifty horses that did not deserve the fate awaiting them.

There were characters easy to love.
There were characters easy to hate.
There was information imparted.
There was heartache for the lot of many horses and their fates.
There was joy for horses that are rescued from that fate.
There were new friends made.
There were old friends to catch up with.
There was a murderer to find.
There was romance.
And…there was a wish left for book four in the series to be written soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

Growing up with horses I have a deep love for them and follow several rescues that go out and payees to keep these amazing creatures from not only becoming food, but also to save them from heartless abuse. So, when I noticed this book on NetGalley I jumped on it.

The story offers great characters, story development, description of the settings and some huge surprises along the way. I really liked Annie’s voice and how she related to the entanglement she was placed in and look forward to reading more of Annie’s adventures. For you romance readers out there, you’ll love Annie’s boyfriend Marcus, which is very prominent in the story.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because of repetitious and a few slow parts, but it wasn’t a lot of either one.

I recommend this to not only cozy mystery lovers out there, but also to romance lovers that love mysteries and horse. This is a totally standalone book, I never felt like I was missing much at all.
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Best birthday present! No spoilers but Marcus, well, he's my new hero. This third outing for Annie Carson can easily be read as a standalone. It's meant to be a cozy but for me, it's all about the horses. Annie is trying to rescue horses when things go horribly wrong for both her friend Tony, who is killed in a plane crash, and for herself when she arrives at the feedlot in time to see a murder. Of course the Sheriff suspects her, even though she's not at all a logical candidate, but keeping her in town allows Annie to interact with some very interesting characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well written, highly entertaining, and it's got relatable, terrific people (and animals such as Wolf the dog and Eddie the horse.). Try this one if you like animals and are looking for a good read with an excellent mystery.

This is the third book in the Carson Stables series, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. Annie Carson runs Carson Stables. She and her friend Tony are on the board of a non profit organization that involves horses. When Tony hears of a feedlot that is going to send horses to a slaughter house he goes to purchase some of the horses for the organization. He buys four horses. However, on his way back from the feedlot the plane he is on crashes in the mountains, killing him and the pilot, Danny Trevor. What seems like a tragic accident turns into murder when it is discovered that the crash wasn't an accident. Annie goes to pick up the horses that Tony had purchased only to find one of the owners dead and herself the prime suspect. Now if Annie wants to leave with the horses that she came to get, she is going to have to clear her name.

I loved this book. I read book two previously and enjoyed it enough that I wanted to continue the series, and this book did not disappoint. I love that the book is centered around horses, and horse ranches. The characters are well developed and people I would like to be friends with. I liked the relationship between Annie and Marcus. They are so cute together. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
I received this book from net galley for review .

This is an absorbing mystery as well as a treatise on the enormous problem of the fate of unwanted horses. Annie Carson and her friends are trying to rescue as many of those unwanted horses as they can and place them at a newly established home for troubled boys. Her friend Tony goes to a feedlot in Loman to buy four of those horses, but he is killed in the crash of a private plane on the way home. Annie then goes up to the feedlot to bring the horses back and when she gets there to pick them up she finds the feedlot owner murdered in the horse's paddock. Annie then has to get herself out of the situation and get herself and her horses home. This book is filled with strong willed, intelligent and caring women who put themselves on the line to save these horses. The story of these horses is heartbreaking and after reading this book you will want to help rescue them as well.

Not only is this series set near where I live, it is also deeply rooted in the horse world, of which I am a part of. For those reasons this series is special to me. I love reading little bits about the area I live in and I enjoy all of the horses that are included in the story. That being said, this book was a little bit hard to read at parts. The story centers around two feedlot owners and an attempt to rescue horses from slaughter. I generally read cozy mysteries to escape reality and this was a little too real for me. That being said, it was still a really good book. The premise of the feed lot allowed for a new setting and new characters that fit into the series nicely. I enjoyed the plot and the new characters. The mystery was interesting though I didn’t really agree with some of the characters motivations. Overall I am looking forward to the next book in the series!