Very enjoyable cozy mystery. Horses, dogs, and a donkey add to the charm. A clever mystery. Interesting characters. Delightful series. I look forward to reading more. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Animal Lovers Cozy Mystery in which an Arkansas horse rescue owner turns sleuth after being asked to look into the supposed accidental death of the high school basketball coach.

5/5 stars: This is the newest entry in the Horse Rescue Mystery series, which is an Animal Lover's Cozy Mystery featuring an Arkansas horse rescue owner. With nice twists and turns, Camp's mystery balances the suspects, clues and red herrings deftly and will leave you pondering the whodunit 'til the final reveal. In addition, Camp's characters are incredibly likable; Mallory's not only independent and tough but I find her background as a legal nurse consultant interesting. It's also nice to see Mallory and Andy's relationship grow. Additionally, her friendship woes with Lanie are realistic and I get a kick out of her and Grady, her friend and the Sheriff, bumping heads over the investigation. Plus I love the team she's built at the rescue, particularly Tanner. I was never a “horse girl” but I have to say I love reading about all the rescue's various horses, Jet and Ruby specifically, and the other animal residents... Biscuit, the adorable donkey and Banjo, Mallory's lovable dog. This book touches on some tough topics, so take care and check the CWs. As this is the second book in the series, be sure to check out book one, Canter with a Killer.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I decided to read the e-arc of this book because I love horses, I fell in love with the cover, it has such a great title and I wanted to try the cozy murder mystery genre.

I loved every second of reading this wonderful book and I was sad to finish it.

As I said, I was privileged to read an e-arc of this book thanks to NetGally (thank you!!) and I’ve already added the finished hardcover copy to my Christmas wishlist because I want to hold it (hug it) and reread it, probably immediately after getting it, because I miss the characters and animals already!

Mallory runs a horse rescue and it was so lovely to follow the day to day workings of it, getting to know the employees and the animals and the fact that everyone and everything felt so real! And I just loved Mallory!! She’s a strong, stubborn, smart and fierce main character, with a heart of gold. But she also has her insecurities and flaws.

The romance! Perfection. A slow burn beautiful respectful adult romance, I thoroughly enjoyed.

You get to know so many people (friends, family, neighbors and inhabitants of this lovely quirky town) and how they interact with eachother and the struggles they face. And every question I still had about any of their particular situation, was nicely answered by the end and I really appreciated that.

Mallory goes through a lot in this book, not only because of her murder investigation, but also on a more personal level. She really loves her employees, friends, lover and family but she messes up sometimes, like we all do. She feels guilty and is not affraid to own her mistakes, which is a very admirable character trait.

This is really a relaxing, cozy and easy read but it’s also packed with adventures, big and small (mostly because of the murder mystery, which was very well done!) and it has a few scary/tense moments but they didn’t last too long.

This book made me smile, laugh, almost cry (when Mallory and the horses were in danger) and I really looked forward to picking this book up every day and feeling like I was there at the horse rescue or anywhere else in Hillspring and loving every second of it.

This is a sequel but I had no trouble reading this without having read the first book in this lovely series.

Mallory Martin, who runs a horse rescue, is called by her friend Sheriff Grady Sullivan when a loose horse in a hunting area needs to be captured. While trying to entice the horse to come to her, Mallory stumbles onto a body - the rider of the horse. Even though she is concentrating on the horse, she recognizes the victim as basketball Coach Douglass Griggs. He was her favorite teacher when she was a student.

At first it looks like Grigg's death was an unfortunate hunting accident, but things aren't adding up at a closer look. Someone removed his orange vest and attempted to obscure his body by covering it with leaves. And the more she looks the more it seems that someone really wanted him dead.

When Mallory gets the horse back to her rescue, she discovers that Griggs has added an encrypted flash drive to the horse's gear. Mallory also gets herself kicked in the calf by the horse and finds herself limping through the rest of the story.

Mallory's curiosity has her investigating the death despite the sheriff's disapproval. Her obsession with the case threatens her relationship with her best friend and her new romantic partner whom she has not yet introduced to her daughter. It also places her right in the sights of the killer who wants Mallory out of the way.

This was an entertaining story. I liked the characters and especially liked the animal characters from the difficult horse she names Jet to her latest rescue that she names Ruby. I liked her dog Banjo and terrible Timmy the Yorkie was a great character too. And who couldn't fall in love with Biscuit the resident donkey. The human characters were equally memorable.

Trotting into Trouble by Amber Camp has Mallory realizing that she needs to be there for the people she cares about despite a mystery needing to be solved.

Can Mallory get justice for Coach Griggs' widow?

Mallory Martin has a lot of good things going for her, but she sometimes self-sabotages herself by pushing people away when things get good. She doesn't mean to do this, and it seems to me that she doesn't think she deserves to be happy when she so totally does. Mal is a good person. However, she needs to realize that she needs to let things go and allow some people to help her. Including when it comes to her horses.

I have to say that I ended up liking Mal a bit more this time than I did the first time around. I only have to say that she needs to open up more communication channels with the people she cares about. Mal is an incredible person, and I like her. I hated how some of the horses were mistreated before coming to her.

The Mystery
The police tasked Mallory Martin and Tanner to grab a horse so that the police could find the missing rider. The two found the horse, and he led them to the dead body. However, Mallory didn't mean to go looking for another dead body. Anyways, Coach Douglas Griggs wasn't well-liked by some people. Including Mallory herself quite recently, but she still didn't think that he deserved to die. I figured out the person who did it and a bit of the why.

Four Stars
Trotting into Trouble by Amber Camp is set in the late fall of Hillspring, Arkansas, where it's cold but not quite cold enough for winter to come through. Ms. Camp has done a fantastic job once again with writing this book. I am giving Trotting into Trouble by Amber Camp five stars. I also recommend it for any horse lovers out there who love mystery as well.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Trotting into Trouble by Amber Camp.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

I really enjoyed the 2nd. in the series by Amber Camp. Mallory who runs the horse rescue is the amateur sleuth in this series. She is good at what she does but always gets herself in sticky situations. Grady, the sheriff calls her for a horse rescue that ends up that the owner Coach Griggs is found dead.. Mallory gets into sleuthing and you never know what she going to do and what she finds. She always figures it out.. A VERY GOOD COZY MYSTERY SERIES.

Business as usual for Mallory Martin horse rescue owner when the sheriff Grady Sullivan calls that a loose horse has been found in a popular hunting area. While trying to catch the horse she stumbles upon a body of his unfortunate rider star basketball coach Douglas Griggs. All signs point to a hunting accident. Mallory finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation when the coach’s wife begs her to look into the case. Mrs Griggs believes the sheriff is ignoring any evidence that doesn’t point to an accident. As Mallory juggles a blossoming romance tensions with her best friend Lanie and responsibilities at the rescue she discovers that the coaches enemies had ample motive to murder him. This was a great story I really enjoyed reading. I recommend to everyone.

This is the second in series and a exciting addtion to this series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Mallory runs a horse rescue and is devoted to the well being of horses. When she receives a call to find a loose horse she finds the body of the rider, ,a local coach. Mallory has a talent for finding clues having solved one murder and finds many red herrings and clues abound as she investigates this second murder.

I like Mallory as a protagnist that is focused on her business of horse rescue. She is a smart savvy protagnist that is very likable to the reader. The description of the horses in her care are done with the author's obvious love of horses that is a delight to read. I enjoy the supporting characters who all add to the series and I hope to read more of in the next book. The sleuth kept me guessing to conclusion as twist and turns of clues did not stop Mallory from looking in the right direction. A strong second in series . I look forward to the next book in the series.

Book two in the Horse Rescue Mystery series by Amber Camp is Trotting into Trouble, which releases November 14, 2023. Mallory is asked by the sheriff to catch a loose horse missing it’s rider. In the process, Mallory stumbles over the dead body of retired teacher and high school basketball coach, Douglas Riggs. The police believe all signs point to a tragic riding accident, but Mallory finds a few details that don’t add up. She ends up back in the midst of another murder investigation after the coach’s widow asks for her help solving the case. But Mallory needs to watch her back- as she gets closer to finding out who the killer is, she puts herself in line to be their next victim 😱

I enjoyed this book more than the first in the series. I was more invested in the mystery and thought the pacing was steady. Tanner and Andy were my favorite characters. I enjoyed seeing their relationships expand with Mallory. This book could be read as a stand-alone, but fully details particulars from the first book, so my recommendation is to read them in order. It’ll give you greater context into the characters and their relationships and provide additional background.

Amber Camp is clearly very knowledgeable about horses, and I truly enjoyed the asides explaining truths every horse owner knows all too well. I ended up reading this one on my kindle and rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/ 5 stars- rounded up). I look forward future installments in the series.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for Trotting into Trouble in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book but I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't like the writing style but overall the story was good.

I adored this cozy mystery! The group of characters were fantastic, and I loved the setting. I enjoyed the plot twists and the mystery. It was well paced and well written!

There's lots I love about this mystery: the horse rescue world, the likeable main character, and the mostly satisfying mystery plot, for starters. The reason this is a 3- and not a 4-star review is just because of the murderer's identify. I seem to have read quite a few cozies in the last six months where the killer <spoiler> is a psychotic woman who's fallen for some guy and will do anything to protect him. And in the climactic scene, this woman changes from the normal person we've known her as all book long into a screaming banshee whackadoodle.</spoiler> I just find that kind of resolution doesn't work for me at all--though maybe I'm the only one. But it seems like too easy of a way out, and it's rarely at all believable for me.

I did enjoy this book up until that ending! I'm going back to read book 1 in the series. I'm hopeful this type of ending is just a one-off, because I like the world created in this series.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love this cozy mystery series, and this book was even better than the first. Can definitely be read as a stand alone.
While looking for a lost horse, Mallory literally stumbles upon both an intoxicated man and a dead body. The police are convinced the death was a hunting accident, but Mallory knows something more sinister is at play. She recruits Tanner to help her investigate, and what they uncovers shocks them all, and once again puts Mallory in danger. Great characters that are both enjoyable and relatable . The storyline was fasts flowing and had me guessing a time or two. Great read!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Horse rescue owner Mallory Martin gets a call from the local Sheriff about a horse wandering alone in the forest. When she arrives to pick it up she finds a body. There starts a chain of events that threaten not only her but all those around her too. Good murder mystery.

rescue-animals, cozy-mystery, Arkansas, horses, nurture, nursing-care, local-law-enforcement, unputdownable, amateur-sleuth, lawyers, romantic, divorced, family, rural*****

The horse was wrongfully accused of murder.
Mallory left forensic nursing after the divorce and is operating a horse rescue facility. When the local coach is found dead during hunting season and one of his horses is running loose there are assumptions made. But Mallory and a few of her crew aren't satisfied with easy answers and investigate even when it gets dangerous. A good read with engaging characters and a solid plot that is in a new series but easily stands alone.
I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you

In the second of the series, protagonist Mallory Martin gets a call about a riderless horse running in a park and they need her expertise with the Hillspring Horse Rescue to corral the animal. He’s spooked but as she calms him finds the rider—dead. It doesn’t feel like an accident to her and she is compelled to look deeper into the situation as she knew the man. Coach Griggs was a good influence in her life. This has become personal.

Of course the sheriff has warned her to stay out of it, but he wants to declare a hunting accident. She finds a piece of evidence overlooked by law enforcement.

Mallory is a smart character, feels real, and has great support characters who come alive in the pages, including Biscuit, the donkey, and Banjo, the “goofy blue heeler.” I enjoyed the knowledge imparted about horses.

Well written, well paced (no let down in the middle of the storyline), and an atmospheric rural setting keeps the pages turning.

The evidence and her investigation lead to a satisfying conclusion, along the way side-tracked with a few twists and turns.

Fun new cozy animal mystery (loved the cover) and I look forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. 4.5 stars

Light and lively cosy
This book was a quick read which held my attention through out. The main character ,Mal, has a background in nursing and legal investigations is now the owner/operator of a horse rescue set on the site of the family farm. While aiding the sheriff in locating and capturing a loose horse she stumbles across the horse owners body,and recognizes him as a teacher who had a great impact on her life. This leads to her own investigation into his death and the danger this causes to her and those around her. Plenty of action just could use a little better proofreading.

What is it about Amber Camp’s Cozy Mysteries that I find to be so intoxicating ? This is her second book in her Horse Rescue Mysteries but I was hooked by the time I read her first book , Canter With a Killer. I love her writing style and her ability to pull me into the book and keep me turning the pages till the last one. Amber has a love for animals and I enjoyed learning more about horses and one loud noisy donkey. Strong characters with a sleuth that won’t quit till she gets answers . I found this cozy to be unpredictable, twisted, very edge of seat and easy to read. This book has everything I like to find in a Cozy Mystery.

Mallory Martin finds herself involved in another murder investigation when she is called to rescue a horse that is running around a park without a rider. But the allusive horse leads her to it’s rider who is dead from a gunshot wound. Police want to rule it as an accidental shooting but Mallory can’t help but wonder if it is an intentional killing. The victim is a well known man in the community who at one time had influenced her life and had helped her get a scholarship to attend college. Who would want to kill Couch Griggs and what motive would they have to do so? Sheriff Grady Sullivan would like Mallory to stay out of the investigation and let him do his job. Since when did Mallory ever listen to Grady?

I recommend Trotting into Trouble to readers of Cozy Mystery and fans of Amber Camp. This book can be read as a standalone but characters from book one are carried over to this book . To have a better reading experience I recommend that book one be read first. This book is scheduled to be released on 11/14/23.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.

#TrottingintoTrouble#NetGalley

Trotting into Trouble has everything you want in a good cosy, and a somewhat fresh feel with the owner of a horse rescue and ex-nurse as the protagonist. It’s the second instalment in the Horse Rescue Mystery series, and I missed the first one, but it read well as a standalone. In this book, owner of a horse rescue and ex-nurse Mallory Martin is called in by the local sheriff to assist with a loose horse found in a popular hunting area. In the process, Mallory stumbles upon the body of basketball coach Douglas Griggs. It could be a hunting accident, but she is convinced otherwise and follows her instincts. And so, Mallory ends up in the midst of a murder investigation while also juggling troubles in her personal life.
Highly recommend Trotting into Trouble to cosy mystery lovers. Suggest you kick off your reading of the Horse Rescue Mystery series with the first instalment Canter with a Killer.

Finally!! A horse themed cozy mystery that doesn’t disappoint! I could not put this book down and I cannot wait for the next one!