Canter With A Killer is the first book in A Horse Rescue Mystery series which is set in Hillspring, Arkansas and most of the action taking place at the horse rescue/ farm owned and run by Mallory Martin.

The best part about the book was hands down the horses and the description of the workings of a horse rescue/farm, with Biscuit the donkey stealing the show and literally saving Mallory life in the end!

Less favourable was Mallory herself. For a person who had a successful career as a forensic nurse and was married to an equally successful lawyer (both careers that require deducing skills), Mallory is very rash, childish and judgemental when it comes to forming opinions about people and incidents. It's mostly her own actions that keep her under the radar of the local police as a prime suspect but fails to realise it herself.

This is also probably the first book where I guessed who the culprit could be (very early on in the story) the minute the character was introduced. Also, I didn't exactly get the cozy vibes that one expects from a book marketed as a cozy mystery; it felt more like a normal mystery suspense novel.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Amber Camp for the e-Arc of the book. This is the author's debut book and I think if she improves Mallory's characterisation, have more likeable side characters and get a more cozy feel to the books, this series could be fun.

This book was published on 11th October, 2022.

Canter with a Killer by Amber Camp is the first A Horse Rescue Mystery. Mallory Martin owns a horse rescue in Hillspring, Arkansas. Her cantankerous neighbor, Albert Cunningham is murdered. The victim had called Mallory the day before and they had a heated conversation. Unfortunately, someone overheard the phone call and spilled the beans to the police. Mallory is not about to let herself stay at the top of the sheriff’s suspect list. She quickly begins asking questions and taking notes. The situation is not looking good for Mallory as the evidence mounts. She will need to narrow in on the guilty party or Mallory will soon need a change of address form. Mallory Martin is a difficult character to like. She is in her 40s and has started a horse rescue. She has a donkey who loves attention as well as a playful dog. Mallory is her own worst enemy. All her actions just made her look guilty. Mallory finds ways to justify her bad behavior and questionable actions. She also has a quickfire temper and takes out her frustrations on people who are trying to help her. The mystery was straightforward. It was obvious who would die and who would take the blame. Mallory has her suspects list which focuses on people she does not like. Mallory is the type of person who leaps before she thinks. She jumps to incorrect conclusions and, of course, acts on them. Mallory treated several kind people terribly. She even blocks someone on her phone because they did not get back to her quick enough. Mallory is her own worst enemy. The mystery can be solved early in the book. One detail is all it takes to solve the crime. I wish the author had portrayed Hillspring in a better light. The townspeople come across as unwelcoming and mean. The story does contain mild foul language. I loved Mallory’s donkey, Biscuit and her dog, Banjo. There is a love interest for Mallory, but I am shocked the man wants to be with her after the way she treated him. The pacing could have used improvement. I believe part of it is due to the author’s detailed descriptions, especially on what people are wearing and the day-to-day details of what it takes to run a horse rescue. I did not enjoy my first visit to Hillspring, and I am not planning to return. Canter with a Killer is country cozy with a braying Biscuit, a murdered grumbler, a handsome hunk, police problems, a barking Banjo, helping horses, and a scrutinizing amateur sleuth.

All Mallory wants is to find happiness after her divorce. She returns to her childhood home in rural Arkansas to set up a horse rescue. But when her wealthy and troublesome neighbor is murdered, her life is thrown into chaos. This being a cozy mystery, of course, she is going to investigate.

A unique setting and a well-plotted mystery with enough suspects to keep me guessing; overall, this was a good story with likable characters. I enjoyed it and would read others by Amber Camp

I received an ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an honest review.

This is a nice start to a new series. It's hard not to get hooked into a story that involves an animal rescue. Add a good mystery with a dose of romance and you have Canter with a Killer.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

Great start to a new series! This is a new-to-me author and I wasn't sure what to expect, what I got was a great cozy mystery that hooked me on the first page. It is full of twists and turns and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. I loved the characters, the setting and my favorite was the horse rescue. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Amber Camp for the E ARC of this book.
Molly has come home to Hillspring to run a horse rescue. It is all she dreamed of and wants. She has horses in paddocks, a donkey that loves to have attention, she also has two really good assistants. However, she does have a neighbour Albert, who is saying her rescue centre is degrading the area. When he is found dead Molly becomes the prime suspect.
With all the attention on her and the local sheriff not looking elsewhere Molly takes matters into her own hands. With the help of Tanner, one of her assistants, and her best friend Laine. Add to this mix Brydon, the son of Albert, whom Molly finds very attractive and the feels seem to be mutual. There are a number of other suspects and as Molly investigates the more, she finds out.
The plot was well paced, I liked the characters and the setting. There were a number of suspects but I had worked out the killer before the reveal. I liked Molly as a character, she was so determined not only to find the killer but also to make a go of the rescue and her new life. Her friend Laine was a good foil for her and Tanner was a good friend as well. I did enjoy this cosy mystery and would read this author again.

This was a great start to a new cozy series. I loved the characters and even more so, I loved the horse rescue part- I haven’t read any cozies with that type of setting yet. I can’t wait for the next one in the series!

A nice start to a new series! Mallory, fresh from a divorce and tired of her job as a forensic nurse, has moved back to Hillspring, Arkansas to start a horse (and donkey) rescue operation. It's not all great though- especially because her neighbor Albert, who has a high end horse operation-doesn't think her rescue is a good look for the area. And then he's murdered! Of course, Malloy comes under suspicion and of course she, along with her friends, are going to find the truth. Albert was not well loved but who killed him? It's a classic cozy with a twist (and a romantic interest). It's the first books there's some worldbuilding and not all the characters are fully fleshed out but it's fun. And it's got Biscuit. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

I gave Canter With a Killer by Amber Camp 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mallory Martin left her marriage and her unfulfilling job to move back to her hometown of Hillspring, Arkansas, and start a horse rescue. It’s everything she’s been missing, with paddocks of happy horses and one very quirky donkey. But when her cantankerous neighbor and longtime critic, Albert Cunningham, is found murdered in his fancy show barn, Mallory becomes suspect number one. Since Sheriff Grady Sullivan is ignoring all good sense and focusing only on Mallory, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

………….. REVIEW …………..

This was probably my last summer read for a while. A cute book with many likable cozy companions. Especially Biscuits, the donkey 🐴

I gave this book 4 stars, or more like 3.75. The mystery was okay, but my main suspect from the beginning turned out to be the one so maybe it was a bit too easy to figure out?

I will have my eyes open for book number two and can recommend this to other cozy mystery lovers out there 🤗

This book comes out 11 October

Thank you Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mallory Martin has left her unfulfilling marriage to begin a horse rescue operation in her hometown in the Ozarks. Her rescue is next door to a fancy quarter horse breeding farm with a very cantankerous owner named Albert Cunningham who is constantly complaining that her operation is an eyesore. When Albert is found murdered in his fancy show barn, Mallory becomes the prime suspect.

Since Mallory feels that the sheriff is focusing on her alone, she begins her own investigation and finds a few possible alternate suspects. Heather Rogerd, the owner of a local organic farm, has had many loud arguments with Albert about her complaints that he is polluting a stream the runs through her farm. And Philip Atwood was in the process of suing Albert for access to some land Philip owned that was blocked by Albert's land. Albert had taken out a restraining order to keep him from doing more mischief on his land.

Unfortunately, both Heather and Philip had strong alibis for the time of Albert's murder. But since Mallory knows she isn't guilty; she is trying to break their alibis. Both of them are threatening her with harassment.

Mallory isn't alone as she tries to prove her innocence. Her lawyer ex-husband shows up which gives her a chance to clear the air about their divorce even if he isn't much help in her murder investigation. She also has childhood friends - Lanie and Bill - who are definitely on her side and supportive. As are her two young volunteers - Ashley and Tanner. Also, she makes a new friend in local lawyer Andy Hannigan who is by her side even though he doesn't usually practice criminal law.

I enjoyed this story even though I had figured out who the murderer was pretty quickly. I enjoyed watching Mallory interact with her rescues and dust off her old investigative skills. This was an entertaining mystery.

The first book in the Horse Rescue cozy mystery series, Canter with a Killer is the debut book by Amber Camp. This is a fantastic opening to this series. Ms. Camp grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and this one kept me guessing. The characters are all well-developed and likable. I really liked Biscuit, the remarkable rescue donkey. The pace is just right and the path to solving the mystery lots of fun. I sure didn't want to put this book down before I found out whodunit!

It is always delightful to read a cozy with a animal rescue theme. This author's debut is set around a horse rescue that is wonderful to read for all animal lovers . I love the protagnist who is a great champion for animals and determined to make her rescue stable a success through saving horses lives. Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own.

The setting is in a charming small town in Arkansas at a new horse rescue owned by Mallory. She said goodbye to her former life, got rid of her unfulling husband and started her dream of a horse resuce. Mallory is savvy , smart and a very likable protagnist for this series. The small town harbors a killer and when a neighbor is murdered Mallory falls under suspicion. She takes control and enlists her friends and co workers at the stable to help clear her name. As the suspects add up so do the red herrings as clues abound . Mallory meets a possible romantic interest and sets that aside as she works to clear her good name.

I loved this new series and look forward to the next book. The author did a excellent job of setting the story for further adventures of Mallory and her stable. It is a fast paced well plotted mystery and a fun read ! Well done to the author.

Canter with a Killer is a well-written book by Amber Camp, who provides a fascinating mystery with plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing up to the very end. The characters are relatable and the setting of the horse rescue farm is unique in a large field of cozy mysteries as well as educational and well-researched.
However, the book bogs down repeatedly in excessive details. I ended up scanning entire sections of the book in order to stay in the story and would guess that by the time I finished the book I had skimmed over about a third of it. As the old saying goes, less is more, something this author should give some consideration to, because in this case more is tedious and tempts the reader to put the book down entirely.
Once you wade through the superfluous data though, the actual mystery is worth the read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the ARC of #CanterwithaKiller.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I read alot of thrillers or mysteries, so, as much as I hate to say it, I thought it would be my kind of book when there was a murder. I did enjoy that. I enjoy trying to solve the puzzle. I enjoyed the setting of a small town. I loved that this woman left a succesful career to come home and open a resuce for animals. It's such a noble thing for a person to do and animals are near and dear to me.

Unfortunately, as much as I loved what the lady was doing with the rescue, I didn't care for her otherwise. She seemed rather entitled. I could understand some of her frustration but she was old enough to understand how things work and why things have to be done a certain way. Everyone is not against you, but they have jobs to do. In reality, I feel she would have been arrested for interfering. She was also naive or something. She had a hard time seeing thngs. I just didn't care for her at all.

As for the mystery itself, it was one of those where there was a finite number of suspects. I felt more than one could be almost immediately eliminated. I figured out before the end who did it. When obvious people were ruled out, it just made sense. Why would people do certain things for seemingly no reason?

In conclusion, I didn't really care for it. I did read it fairly quickly. Some people may really like it. It just wasn't for me.

A quick read that keeps you engaged as Mallory tries to clear her name as a murderer. a light hearted read that is laid back in a way that suits the setting that the book is placed in. I loved Mal and her best friend too! Amber Camp has given such endearing personalities to all the characters that you will not help falling in love with them, especially the animals. a good book to pick up and read on a vacation or when commuting. glad that read this. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

This was an decent start to a new mystery series. It set up the characters and the setting. While I didn't love it, I can see how other readers will.

**canter with a killer**
Copaganda/police involvement: Sheriff Grady Sullivan, a Guy - suspects Mallory for mURDER
Supporting characters: Mallory's college-age assistants, Lanie and Tanner
Narrator: Mallory Martin, former forensic nurse and now A MURDER SUSPECT and also a Horse Rescue Person
Main sleuth(s): Mallory Martin
What kind of animals are involved: Horses. Also a little spotted dog
Location: Hillspring, Arkansas
Sub-location: Hillspring, Horse Rescue
Recipes: No :<
Notes on the puns of the title: 2/10
Further Notes: No sex scenes, some swearing
Series #: A Horse Rescue Mystery 1
Mystery notes: Mallory was kind of a jerk to everyone while Sleuthing, and focused more on motives and was personally biased towards people she liked.
Magic?: No
Theme: Horses?

Overall, a solid 3-star mystery; plus for no copaganda, negatives for no recipes and also I am not super interested in horses.

Cute book, but I couldn’t quite connect with the protagonist; not sure why she was so antagonistic with the sheriff, and old friend. He never said she was a killer! She was also constantly making a choice and then changing her mind; her ex drove all the way there and she decides she was wrong and he should leave? Also, it was pretty easy to guess who the killer actually was. As for the other suspects, would be nice if there was a little follow-up.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Thanks for the ARC. What can I say? I didn't want to put this book down once I started reading it. I did but could not wait to get back to reading it. I loved it. Will recommend!

Hello, Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley.

The file that came into my Kindle has all of the paragraphs without indentions. Thus, the reading process of this arc is not easy on the eyes or enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I found this poor formatting with several of the cozy mystery tiles from Crooked Lane books.

The only two that were formatted correctly and readable were A Christmas Candy Killing and A Good Day To Pie, both of which I loved. I will post reviews for those books later this Fall on my blog and include the links.

List of Crooked Lane Books that are incorrectly formatted are;

Death by Margins
Dead Men Don’t Decorate
The Game Is A Footnote
Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking
Streetcar Named Murder
Snuffed Out
Hidden in the Pines
Canter With A Killer