Ambush of the Heart

Connealy (Riches Beyond Measure) kicks off the Rocky Mountain Marshal series with a captivating historical set in the unforgiving landscape of the late-19th-century West. The action opens with a group of U.S. marshals transporting Clive Duncan, an escaped prisoner, to Cheyenne, Wyo., along with 20-something siblings Delaney and Boone Bridger, who joined the party after their train headed west failed to arrive. Clive’s outlaw family ambushes the party, killing the youngest marshal and wounding Boone and Clive, who escapes. Several marshals set out to recapture Clive and apprehend his family, but when disaster strikes, Marshal Tex Mitchel and Clive’s sister, Stella Duncan, wind up lost in the wilderness together. Meanwhile, Marshal Owen Riley works to lead Delaney and her brother to their destination. As the three fight their way through treacherous conditions, Owen can’t help but admire Delaney’s shooting skills and independent spirit, and wonders if God might be telling him it’s time to settle down. Connealy starts things out with a bang and keeps her foot on the gas all the way through. The large cast can be hard to keep track of, but their dilemmas leave plenty of loose threads for the sequel. Fast-paced and textured, this will please Connealy’s fans and newcomers alike. (Feb.)