The Rocking Horse

Twenty two years ago in the quiet little town of Shady Creek, Kansas the unthinkable happened.  A beautiful young woman and an older couple were brutally murdered and the young woman’s small daughter disappeared.   The case was never solved, the child never found, the secrets never revealed. Now, as Julie Hendricks, a young woman who looks uncannily like the murdered woman,  moves into Shady Creek to start a new life, all the secrets start to unravel.  

Julie carries secrets of her own.  Running from an abusive husband, she has changed her name and is wary of anyone asking too many questions.  It becomes almost impossible, though, when everyone she meets thinks she is someone else and begins their queries.  Even so, the people are warm and friendly and the new young sheriff is handsome... 

This is an interesting twist... a mystery where the reader knows the answers from the beginning but watches as the characters search to figure it out!  Although at first thought, one might think that would spoil the fun but with each twist and turn the story takes, it’s apparent that the ride can really be just as much fun as the outcome.  The writing flows smoothly and the circumstances fit believably.  Even with the format, it would have been nice to have had a few more surprises to keep one on the edge of their seat and the characters could have used a bit more depth.  For an enjoyable “how did they do it?”  mystery that keeps one reading but doesn’t stop one from sleeping,  “The Rocking Horse” is perfect!

Ruth Lynn Ritter