A mystery for horse lovers. Rainy is a horseshoer who finds herself solving crime as well. Not the usual protagonist and she's a treat. It's not too complicated but it's unique in the genre.

Rainy's story is a sad tale that too many women are forced to deal with. I appreciated the strength of character that developed and her refusal to give up. Finding Guy was a one in a million coincidence since he seems to truly love and want to be with Rainy. There was a lot of description, especially about work that she was doing. I didn't understand all of it and sometimes found it distracting but overall I really didn't mind. The plot was solid and progressed smoothly. I personally don't care for the cursing but I know a lot of people don't mind that in their books.

In Lisa Preston's the Clincher, the first installment in the Horseshoer Mystery series, you'll be hooked and lassoed into the wild world of horseshoes and clinching. Meet Rainy Day. She's a high school dropout who works for a barn in small-town Cowdry, Oregon, when she works as a horseshoer for barn. When she works for the Flying Cross ranch, her first assignment is for Patsy-Lynn Harper, who runs the ranch. Things tend to go well, except when later on, Patsy-Lynn turned up in a supposedly "suicide." Though Rainy doesn't know the Harpers real well, she became to suspect everyone who came close in contact with her: from her ranch-hands, herders, and even her step-son. And when the police ask her questions about rasps and other horseshoeing equipment, it brought back to the memories of her past. Of how life were unkind to her as a teenager, when she was forced to give up a baby, and when she met her landlord, Guy Kittridge, who was also the chef for the ranch. Though she pays his rent, they have a sweet kind of kindred relationship that he really cares about Rainy and wants a life with her. As Rainy investigates the prime suspect further from a missing mare, a pregnant mare, and missing tools, she runs into trouble of her own with Patsy's step-son Junior. And she becomes a victim of his wrath when she suspects him of killing Patsy. When Guy saves her, it would be up them to stop him before he gets away with murder.

For the first in a series, this was a first rate story, that though had a slow buildup, has memorable characters, sharp dialog and a very unique premise that is not lost amongst the Mystery genre.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Rainy Dale is a professional farrier (horseshoer). I loved this mystery as the protagonist Rainy is complex , complicated and realistic. Her character loves and adores horses . The descriptions of her work with horses is fascinating to those of us that love and appreciate all things horses. Rainy turned herself around after suffering childhood trauma and consequences of a bad childhood, got her farrier's license, and settled in rural Oregon where she works as a farrier. This is so interesting to read about as the author so richly describes her work and the horses.
She decided to get busy tracing down the horse her father gave her as a child, the one thing she has always loved and misses from her fractured childhood. On her way to find the horse she soon finds a dog named Charley who is her new side kick. I love that she rescues Charley and has a compassion and love for all animals. It makes this mystery endearing to the reader and heartfelt. Rainy's landlord is pushing her for a relationship just when things are looking up for her. After all she suffered through earlier in life she is hesitant as he has a wife ! When the wife is found dead Rainy finds herself the prime suspect and feels her carefully built life imploding . She is scared and decides to fight to clear her name. She dives into the sleuth head first and soon is up to her hocks in clues and suspects.

This is a well crafted mystery that is a refreshing change as a horse based mystery series. The sleuth was full of clues and twist and turns. it was a enjoyable read . I like Rainy as a detective that is savvy, smart and does not take no for an answer. I hope to see further books in the series and read more about her work with horses.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC which does not influence my review.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about Rainey Dale she attending horseshoeing school when she finish she decided to found her horse she had as a young child and winds up in Central Oregon. She decided to stay and start her own business when a client of hers get murder and she become a suspect to clear her name she decide to investigate and killer doesn't like this she soon find herself in harm way. There is a little romance between Rainey and Guy who want to be chef I like that this part of the story didn't over shadow the main story. It was a great read and I like how we found out more about Rainey and that why she the way she is. Looking forward to next book in this series.

The Clincher by Lisa Preston
A Horseshoer Mystery #1

Rainy Dale is a delightful new character that I enjoyed getting to know. She is in the business of shoeing horses and highly competent in the profession though only having been on the job for a relatively short time. As I read I learned a great deal about horses and hooves as Rainy and Guy, her boyfriend, figured out who killed Mrs. Harper. The scene was set in such a way that I felt I was there. Knowing exactly what Rainy was thinking at all times made this read even more fun. I am eager to read more about Rainy, Guy and the others that no doubt will show up in future books of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Modern Western Cozy Mystery
I loved this cozy mystery. Our heroine is a bit rough around the edges, which makes her all the more realistic! The plot is great with many things going on at once. All of the characters are so real they could be people that I have known. The animals are also very realistic – no Wonder Horses here! Now I want to read the whole series! I received this book for free and this is my honest review.

Rainy Dale is a farrier. She shoes horses for a living. She's in love with a chef by the name of Guy. She has a good living from her job and everything is going well until someone kills one of her clients. Patsy-Lynn has just married a man who gives her everything she could want and now she is dead. Since Rainy is the last person other than the killer to see the victim, she is questioned by the police. Rainy and Guy get mixed up in the investigation and Rainy may be the next target. Will she survive being in the killer's sights? She has Guy on her side. This is part of the series of The Horseshoer Mystery Series. I liked that this was a great mystery with a storyline that I haven't seem before. Loved Rainy and Guy. I received this book from Net Galley and Skyhorse Publishing for a honest review and no compensation otherwise. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a wonderfully refreshing book that I enjoyed reading more than I thought I would! The main character is not your average sleuth and not your average character. I liked her grit, her stubbornness and the fact that her secret bothered her so much. That alone gave her a believable humanity. She could have been me, or anyone, she was that well written. She was determined to live life according to her rules and watching the push-pull of wanting to do the right thing within the investigation but not wanting to possibly compromise herself kept me glued to find out how it would all be resolved. I could see the landscape, smell the horses...all of it. It was that well written. I can't wait for the second one to come out!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

The first in the horseshoer mystery series finds Rainy Dale, a high school dropout in her late 20’s, making her way by shoeing horses out of her truck, Ol’ Blue, in Cowdry, Oregon. She lives in the garage she rents from Guy, sort of her boyfriend and the cook at the Cascade Café.

The same day Rainy shoes Spartacus, the stud at Flying Cross ranch, owner Patsy-Lynn is found murdered. Rainy was already shoeing another client’s horse at the time of death but she is a person of interest since a rasp, horseshoe tool, is found at the crime scene with blood on it.

The mystery is interesting and the twists and red herrings numerous. While author Lisa Preston writes with authority about the world of horses and horseshoeing, other parts of the book do not hold the same level of engagement for the reader. When not describing Rainy’s work as a farrier, the narrative is often confusing and character development uneven. The premise of a female horseshoer playing amateur sleuth is very appealing but it doesn’t quite come together in this first book.

Thanks to NeGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

THE CLINCHER by Lisa Preston is the first novel in the Horseshoer Mystery Series. The novel is due out on November 6th, 2018 by Skyhorse Publishing.

Rainy Dale is a twenty-something, high school dropout turned horseshoer who is running from her rough past and aspiring to a better future. After tracking down her childhood horse in Oregon, Rainy decides to stick around open up her own farrier (horseshoeing) business in the small town of Cowdry. When one of her clients is found dead not long after Rainy left the victim’s ranch, Rainy finds herself near the top of the local police’s suspect list. Rainy knows she is innocent – though that doesn’t stop her from blaming herself for leaving the ranch instead of sticking around like her client asked – and she takes it upon her herself to find out who killed her client and why.

While all of the information about horses and horseshoeing was interesting, I just couldn’t get into THE CLINCHER. I found the narrative to be choppy and hard to follow at times. The main aspect of the story seemed to be Rainy’s job as a farrier, and her amateur investigation took a backseat throughout most of the novel. I also thought Rainy was an unlikable character. She’s a hard, judgmental woman who feels guilty over certain things that happened to her in the past. She’s a loner, and she pushes almost everyone away – including the reader. Rainy also isn’t very nice or empathetic to anyone aside from her dog and the horses. She also swears a lot – not that the swearing bothered me. But Rainy’s constant swearing and then censoring/scolding herself over the swearing was distracting and annoying.

3 stars

The first book in a new series, <i>The Clincher</I> features a young farrier, Rainy Dale, who doesn’t have much to her name but is starting to establish her new business shoeing horses on Oregon ranches. The mystery begins with the suspicious suicide of a wealthy woman soon after Rainy finished shoeing her somewhat difficult to handle stallion. Rainy is brought in for questioning as one of the last people to see the victim alive which pokes her curiosity and proceeds in multiple directions.

Told in the first person, the main storyline is actually Rainy herself as we are slowly introduced to her background and relationships as well as her personal struggles and overall outlook on life.

Initially, I was drawn to <i>The Clincher</i> by Rainy’s profession. Having been a horse owner for many years, I found the portrayal of her day-to-day work life interesting and accurate. The actual mystery, however, took a back seat to the character of Rainy. I often found it difficult to make sense of Rainy’s thoughts and dialog especially exchanges between Rainy and her landlord/cook/ boyfriend Guy. As a result, I just couldn’t understand their relationship/chemistry. About half way through the book, things became a bit clearer or I just got better at filling in the blanks. It was at that point, that I found myself enjoying the story, instead of struggling, so I changed my rating from two stars to three.

There is potential here and, to keep me reading, am hopeful the character of Rainy keeps her quirks and humor but becomes a little less inscrutable and thus a bit more relatable.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/ for providing me with an advanced digital copy of The Clincher by Lisa Preston. The first book in a series that takes place in ranch country in Oregon, this book features Rainy Dale, newly minted horseshoer, who is trying to establish her business in a small town in Oregon. This book focuses on Rainy, her landlord/boyfriend Guy, and the owner and widower of the murder victim. There are a number of secondary characters such as the veterinarian, a young girl who has the same passion for horses as Rainy did when she was young and various residents of the town, but it is unclear if they will continue in future books within the series.

Throughout the book, there is an internal dialog constantly referring to Rainy’s past. She routinely reminds herself and the reader she has turned over a new leaf and she is no longer “that person.” This initially adds some interest to Rainy but becomes so repetitive as to make me feel the writer doesn’t trust my intelligence as a reader enough to “get” the fact that Rainy is a troubled soul.

The book is written in first person, with what seems to be an attempt to drive home the point that Rainy was a difficult child, had a difficult childhood and was a teenager who constantly bucked the system. She sees herself as anything but the typical girl and this is, in part, her inspiration for pursuing a career as a horseshoer. Also, within the internal dialog are hints at Rainy having been on the receiving in of bullying by both girls and boys in school as she reminds herself she is no longer that girl.

The mystery in this novel takes a back seat to Rainy’s personal struggles. While there is some information in the form of clues, etc. many of the red herrings are not resolved which may indicate that some storylines will continue in future books. Toward the end the action becomes hard to believe in spots but will not be detailed here as to do so would put spoilers in this review.

I had difficulty identifying with Rainy throughout the book. As a result, I found her hard to like or to develop any sympathy toward her in her struggle. At times it felt as if her manner of speech and internal dialog was designed to insure the reader understands she is made up of mostly rough edges rather than trusting the reader to get that without it being repeated constantly. Lack of information regarding the victim and her family also decrease interest in discovering the identity of the perpetrator, the solution of which I found easy to reach almost as soon as the perpetrator was introduced.

There is some interesting information about the intricacies of horseshoeing as well as a little information regarding horses in terms of general behavior and specific breed talents. This book might well appeal to a reader who is enamored of horses and ranch activities. The background story regarding horses and their care and feeding might be better suited to a young adult novel. However, the very adult nature of Rainy’s personal struggle and current living situation are more geared toward the adult reader.

My rating for this book would be 2 ½ stars, so I am rounding to 3 in the hopes additional books in the series concentrate more on mystery and some positive things in Rainy’s life.

In Lisa Preston's The Clincher (Skyhorse Publishing 2018), first of her Horseshoer Mystery series, Rainy Dale thinks her life is finally coming together despite a rocky start and secrets she won't even share with her boyfriend and landlord, Guy. When one of her farrier clients is murdered and she is the last to see her alive, Rainy takes it upon herself to run down clues she remembers from that last appointment, her client's unease with something she didn't explain, and several unusual events Rainy noticed when leaving the client's ranch. Rainy is young in years only. She is no stranger to adversity and despite her difficult history, has a moral streak that won't allow her to walk away from someone who needs her help, even if they're dead.

The dialogue is authentic and hard-nosed, the narrative crisp and witty, with no wasted words. Throughout the book, the author shares much about Rainy's profession which made me feel pretty darn knowledgeable in this area by the last page. Still, it took me a while to get into the story. Though Rainy is a strong voice for the main character, and unique in both her job and her attitude, she is as approachable as a porcupine and has a chip on her shoulder that makes her think a light in the tunnel is a rattlesnake with a headlamp. She is judgmental of almost everyone for no apparent reason and dismissive of her boyfriend who seems to be the only person in her life who really cares about her without question.

Lest you think I didn't enjoy this book, by the time I finished, I was checking to see when the next in the series would be available (no answer to that question). If you like unique stories that teach, you'll enjoy this book.

This will be reviewed on my blog, WordDreams, Oct. 4th

The Clincher is the first in a new series based on Rainey Dale. She is a somewhat new farrier in the small town Cowdry. When one of her clients is found dead, she find herself on the suspect list. Most of the book I found it hard to like Rainey. I didn’t like the way she treated Guy and she didn’t say much that was nice. There were a lot of unexplained terms regarding horses, so those parts were difficult for me to get through. It did get better and by the end you know what makes Rainey the way she is. And I know more about horseshoeing!

Rainy Dale is a Texas girl who doesn’t really fit in Oregon. She ends up there because that’s where her childhood horse, Red, has moved through a number of trades/sales.. A farrier by trade, she becomes a detective in this story when one of her clients is murdered on the same day she shod the horse. Not content to be a suspect, Rainy sets out to find the real killer and puts herself in harm’s way. Destined to be a series, I look forward to meeting Rainy again.

Horseshoeing and mystery in Central Oregon

Rainy Dale finishes horseshoeing school, does internships, and then decides to track down the horse she had as a young girl. She ends up finding and buying back the horse in a small town in Central Oregon and decides to try her luck with her own horseshoeing (farrier) business in the area. She ends up renting from Guy, a hunk of a want-to-be chef and the lines blur a bit as to whether she's a tenant or a girlfriend.

There ends up being a murder at a ranch that Rainy was working at and she decides she's going to do some investigating since she's one of the suspects.

I loved the character of Rainy in this story. She has secrets in her past. She doesn't deal well with people including Guy.

This really isn't a romance per se although there is some romance included. This is a book first and foremost about horses and about horseshoeing. I liked all the details of her job that were included.

Secondly, this is a murder mystery and a good one at that.

I was actually glad when I reached the end of the book and found out it's the first in a series about Rainy. I'm not usually a big fan of series books but I enjoyed this character and want to read more about her.

I received this book from Skyhorse Publishing through Net Galley and through the Amazon VINE program in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Lisa Preston kept my nose buried in the pages with a fascinating tale. The main protagonist added flavor to the storyline with colorful language reminiscent of the Old West. There was no wasted digital ink for the sole purpose of consuming space. The scenes kept pace to the steady beat of the farrier's hammer. It was a refreshing trip into the backcountry of Oregon.

Rainy Dale attended horseshoeing school to learn the archaic trade. Bottom line, she loved horses. Having started off in Texas, she hightailed it over to Central Oregon in search of her childhood horse, Red. The trip proved successful; they were reunited. While she was there, it was a good a place as any to hang her shingle, in her case, horseshoe.

Upheaval of the worst kind found its way to Rainy's otherwise quiet existence when her main client turned up dead, the result of foul play. She had only shod the dead woman's horse earlier that day.

Suspicious circumstances surrounded her death. The local police fixed a keen eye on the horseshoer. For the time being, she was the primary suspect.

Not one to remain on her derrière, she was intent on finding the one responsible for her client's slaying. This did not hold well with the killer, and she soon found herself in harm's way.

I offer my thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.