Behind His Blue Eyes

Warner’s 19th-century trilogy launch highlights romance and turmoil in a small Colorado town. Desperate to hide her father’s dementia and avoid an unwanted suitor, Audra Pearsall travels from Baltimore to Heartbreak Creek, Colo., with her father and two family servants. The cabin her father inherited is small and unkempt, as is the town, and Audra appreciates the help of railroad advance man Ethan Hardesty, who comes to her rescue more than once. As Audra learns to adapt to her new surroundings, she quickly makes friends with other residents of Heartbreak Creek who help her find employment to support her wayward family. Accidents and unexplained deaths haunt the town, and Ethan is determined to find the culprits while keeping Audra safe. Though Ethan is haunted by his past and reluctant to get close to any woman, he’s drawn to Audra’s beauty and pluck. Warner deftly combines romance with a hint of mystery in a neat package with a promise of more to come. (Aug.)