How this secret relates to the present tragedy provides the stunning climax to a compelling story of families torn apart by divided loyalties. In the end, Benni's own instincts drive her to dig out the long-hidden truth behind the deaths of four of the original seven Brown sisters, for whom the ranch was named. It is a beautiful rural part of California that is rapidly being overtaken by corporate America. I fell in love with the town when my sister lived in the area for eight years. The tenacious Hud constantly backs Benni into corners whenever she shows signs of wanting to wash her hands of the whole affair. Earlene Fowler: San Celina is loosely based on San Luis Obispo, a semi-rural college town two hours north of Santa Barbara.

A sheriff's department newcomer, Ford ''Hud'' Hudson, investigates the killing, and quickly pegs Benni as an unofficial assistant because of her reputation for nosiness and her connections to the case. Berkley Prime Crime, 23.95 (320pp) ISBN 978-9-4 No wonder Benni Harper fans are so faithfulthe woman cant even stay out of trouble in church. The murder of Giles Norton, husband of another Brown offshoot and the son of prominent vintners, puts everyone at Seven Sisters at risk.

Matters come to a head when the extended families dine together at the Browns' ancestral stronghold, Seven Sisters Ranch. Benni isn't certain how to react when Lydia Ortiz, Sam's mother and Gabe's first wife, arrives to discuss the domestic crisis. Earlene Fowler Kansas Troubles (Benni Harper Mystery) Hardcover by Earlene Fowler (Author) 160 ratings Book 3 of 12: Benni Harper See all formats and editions Kindle 6.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover 18.72 13 Used from 4.98 7 New from 18.72 11 Collectible from 14.50 Paperback from 20.91 1 New from 20. Benni fears that her husband, Gabe Ortiz, the town's police chief, will disapprove-and that so will Bliss's socially and politically prominent family, the Browns. Benni's 19-year-old stepson, Sam Ortiz, confides in her that he and his pregnant girlfriend, Bliss Girard, a rookie cop in the San Celina, Calif., police department, want to marry. Conflicting family loyalties and the burdens of the past lie at the heart of the engrossing seventh novel from four-time Agatha Award nominee Fowler to feature amateur sleuth Benni Harper.

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