Joens successfully mines the world of California horse breeding in the follow-up to his debut, An Animated Death in Burbank
(2004), which examined the cartoon industry. LAPD Det. Sandra Cameron is on leave, recuperating from the psychological effects of a near-fatal gun-shot wound, when her horse trainer and former lover, Chet Gundry, drops dead. Coincidentally, her current significant other, L.A. Sheriff's Department detective Tom Rigby, catches the case after the lab discovers that someone substituted a horse tranquilizer for Chet's insulin. Sandy straddles several uncomfortable roles as suspect, witness and investigator, leading to tension with Tom. Two more deaths follow, which narrow the pool of suspects and complicate the mystery. Sandy's initially passive role makes for a slow start, but the book eventually picks up steam and attains a decent fair-play resolution. Agent, Natasha Kern. (Feb. 10)