Stroke of Luck

Daniels (Wrangler’s Rescue) mixes romance and danger in her enjoyable Sterling’s Montana romantic suspense series launch. A longtime family friend asks Will Sterling to open the family’s guest ranch early for an employee retreat, but when his usual cook breaks a leg, he’s not sure who will cook for the group. Enter his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael, now a caterer. Poppy had an unrequited crush on Will when they were growing up. Now she’s intent on seducing him with food—and then breaking his heart, as he did hers 20 years earlier. Daniels appears to be spinning merely an appealing contemporary until a major snowstorm moves in and the weird vibes emanating from the retreat participants turn into an increasing body count, with little clue as to the perpetrator and no way to escape. Daniels keeps readers baffled with a taut plot and ample red herrings, expertly weaving in the threads of the next story in the series as she introduces a strong group of primary and secondary characters. Readers are left guessing throughout the story, which wraps up with a surprising yet believable series of events and an emotionally satisfying ending that whets appetites for the next book. (Feb.)